


Pokémon Ranger: Galar Squad

by Oleander_Lights



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions, Pokemon Ranger
Genre: Adventure, Animal Death, Dark, Developing Relationship, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Family Issues, Found Family, Friendship, Implied/Referenced Animal Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Minor Original Character(s), Pokemon Death, References to Depression, Sad and Happy, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Slow To Update, Teen Romance, trainshipping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:55:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22339636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oleander_Lights/pseuds/Oleander_Lights
Summary: No one ever said being a Pokémon Ranger was going to be easy, though no one ever said it was going to be hard either.But maybe being Pokémon rangers is the right path for two boys who are desperate to find their place in the world
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan, Hop/Masaru | Victor, Original Character(s)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 30
Kudos: 78





	1. Lost Out Where The Lights Are Blinding

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from Something Wild by Lindsey Sterling Featuring Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

**PART I: Alea iacta est**

  
Hop’s hand curled around the pillar of the monument. His lips were pierced into a thin line as he stared out upon the lake. The water was still, and the moonlight shone on it like a spotlight.

If anyone had seen him no one could have guessed what was happening in his head. He was nearly as still as a statue. Not even a single blink escaped him.

To say the last few months had been a whirlwind for him would have been an understatement. They had been a hurricane of emotions, hopes, fears and crushed dreams all rolled into one sweet little package.

And just like it had always been in his life, he was behind everyone. Everyone had a niche and he didn’t, everyone it seemed had found their place in the world except for Hop. Which just left him even more lost.

Gloria was champion, Marnie and Bede were gym leaders, Leon was running the battle tower, Sonia had become the Professor, and Victor? Well, Hop wasn’t exactly sure himself. Victor hadn’t been around much since just before the whole Swordward and Shielbert debacle.

“Hop?” the voice blended into the wind, which make it nearly unhearable.

Hop ignored it, his gaze focused on the glistening lake before him, a million different thoughts racing through his mind. Besides no one else would be out here at nighttime.

“Hop!” the voice said louder and this time a quick hand brushed the boy’s shoulder.

Hop turned on his heel as though he were ice skating. He came face to face with a boy probably an inch or two taller than Hop himself. He wore a bright orange sweater and a knit gray hat. Victor.

“I thought I might find you here,” said Victor in a quiet voice.

“Gloria?” said Hop.

“Damn her,” Hop thought.

“Yeah, she says you’ve been spending a lot of time here. So I guessed you’d might be here,” said Victor as he walked up to Hop’s side and smiled weakly as the golden-eyed boy.

“I certainly do,” said Hop with a nervous laugh, “where have you been?”.

“In Wyndon, I’m going to go into ranger school,” said Victor as he sat down on the ground with his legs crossed.

“Ranger school?” said Hop as he raised one of his eyebrows, “I thought there weren’t any Pokémon rangers in Galar.”

“Not until recently, the incident with Eternatus and the whole Swordward and Shielbert debacle made the Rangers Association decide that maybe it was time Galar got som,” explained Victor as he stared out at the lake.

Ranger school? Victor had always been the shy one of the twins, who preferred to let Gloria lead the two of them. Pokémon rangers were strong and brave, with immense skill in battling and quick-thinking. And to think Victor would decide to go into a field where his timid nature was a mortal sin, was unimaginable to Hop.

But hey, when you were chosen as a prophesied hero by a legendary Pokémon anything can happen. Even Victor becoming a Pokémon Ranger.

“Why do you want to become a Pokémon Ranger?” Hop asked, trying to not sound incredulous.

“Easy, everyone has something in their lives and I don’t. Plus I want to give back to the world, help people and Pokémon, not to mention come out of my shell. So when I saw they were going to be opening up the ranger school in Galar I jumped on my chance,” said Victor as he quickly glanced up at Hop to see his reaction.

“Victor that’s…….” Hop began but he couldn’t find the words to finish, they had gotten lost on the way. It was as though there had been a misfire in his brain, why did words have to get stuck?

“Victor that’s amazing!” said Hop after he finally formulated a response to his friends’ proclamation.

Victor grinned that same toothy grin he had since childhood. And Hop laughed lightly, Victor looked so dopey when he smiled, but there was something undeniably cute about it to Hop.

Hop sat down next to Victor, crossing his slender legs as he did. There was something peaceful about the Weald. The quiet had an almost calming quality about it.

“Wanna go stargaze?” asked Victor with a sweet smile on his face.

“Sure,” said Hop.

And so the two boys traveled out to the field by the brown-haired boy’s house. Just as they had always done with Gloria, but now she was gone. Now they were just two boys lost out in the world, desperate to find a place in it to call their own.

Maybe the would find it soon and maybe they wouldn’t, but tonight they had each other, and for them, that was plenty.

“Victor?” Hop asked in a small voice as he stared up at the autumn night sky.

“Yes Hop?” replied Victor with a yawn in his voice.

“Promise when you go to ranger school you won’t forget me?” asked Hop as a quiver formed in his voice.

“Certainly not,” Victor replied in a reassuring tone as he placed his forehead against Hop’s.

Hop giggled a little as he felt his friends’ forehead against his. Something about it felt nice and safe, like a hug his grandmother would give him.

There was something strange, the dewy grass, the beautiful, endless night sky. Something that made Hop wish this moment would never end. But he couldn’t exactly put his finger on it.

And then, slumber took over the two boys.

....................................

Hop stood on a large mountain, snow blew all around him, but there was a warm hand on his shoulder, Hop turned his head to see who it was, Victor. But older. Taller, more mature looking, and undeniably handsome too. With a look of steely determination on his face.

The cold was bitingly bitter, and the snow was damp on Hop’s face.

There was a loud gust of wind that blew above the two boys. Hop turned his head upwards to see what exactly had caused this.

And there he was met with a large bird. Its’ wingspan had to be fifteen feet at least, maybe even more. Its’ skin was leathery and black, there were magenta flames extending from the head, wings, and tail. Along with a singular magenta stripe going down the center of its body with feet the same color as the flames and black claws.

The Pokémon released a primal cry, and a blur of light blue shot up at it with an echoing howl. Zacian! What in the-

..........................................

“Hop! Victor!” was the call that awaited the two boys when they awoke.

Hop knew it in that very moment, he was going to be a Pokémon Ranger. If the dream meant anything anyway.

Hop felt the warmth of the sun on his face and opened his eyes to the morning sky, not a single cloud in sight. A perfect day, but certainly not a day for Fall.

“Victor! Hop!” the voice called again. Leon!

Hop had forgotten Leon was coming to visit with everything that had happened in the past few days! Hop shot up from where he laid and jumped the fence onto the dirt pathway.

“Where are you going!” shouted Victor as he climbed over the fence after Hop.

“Lee’s back! I’m gonna be a Pokémon Ranger just like you Vic!” said Hop as he raced towards his home.


	2. A Moment Of Joy and Fury

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title taken from “The End Of Love” by Florence And The Machine.
> 
> Shoutout to mythical_song_wolf And Snowy for the last names and middle names of Leon and Hop, and the name of their mother.
> 
> Also sorry if this chapter is shit, I tried my best. I promise the next chapter will be better.

Hop bounded down the dirt path that lead to his house. On the doorstep stood Leon with a bright smile. Tall and proud, he wasn’t in his battle tower uniform anymore. And for which Hop was grateful, though morning it was already nearly the type of temperature for summer. 

“Leon! Leon! Leon! I have wonderful news!” said Hop as he excitedly hugged his brother.

“Yes Hopscotch?” asked Leon with his signature megawatt smile.

“I’m gonna go to ranger school, Lee! I’m gonna be a Pokémon ranger!” said Hop as he hopped around like a Scorbunny.

Leon’s smile faded for a second but then reappeared full force. Hop could feel his stomach drop. But he still kept bouncing around, he couldn’t let Leon know he saw.

“Oh Hop that’s wonderful news!” said Leon, his smile still upon his face.

Hop forced a smile back at his older brother, did Leon not think Hop was capable enough to be a ranger? He wasn’t a little kid anymore!

Then the door opened and out came their mother, wearing a lovely smile as soon as she saw her eldest son.

“Leon! There you are!” cooed Mum as she wrapped Leon into a big Beartic hug.

Hop continued to bounce around the front yard. Finally, a few seconds later Victor arrived. His brown hair was a tousled mess that nearly covered his chocolate brown eyes.

“Hi, Vic!” said Hop in a high-pitched tone as he waved at his friend.

“Hi, Hop! Hi, Leon!” said Victor with an energetic wave to the blue-haired boy and his family.

“Hullo, Victor!” said mum as she waved at her younger son’s best friend.

“Mum! Mum! I’m going to be a Pokémon Ranger!” said Hop with the same tone as he had told Leon just moments before.

“Oh that’s wonderful sweetheart!” said Mum, as she motioned for the two boys and Victor to come inside.

And so the two sons and the next-door neighbor walked inside.

“Hop, could you go upstairs with Victor for a bit? I need to speak with Leon,” mum said in a sweet tone.

“But mum! Leon just got here!” Hop whined a whiny tone he was too old for, as he’d been so often reminded.

“Hop,” Mum repeated, a bit annoyed.

“Okay,” said Hop with a sigh.

He and Victor went up the stairs to the younger Eudios son’s room. 

The walls were still the bright sunny yellow and filled with posters and pictures, and if Hop were honest it looked like something for a child much younger than himself. Certainly not for a child, a teenager, of nearly fourteen years of age.

Hop plopped down on his bed. Victor sat cross-legged on the floor.

“I’m going to Wedgehurst on Saturday for the entrance exam. I have the book to study with and since you’re coming with me, probably, I was thinking we could share,” said Victor as he picked at his sleeve.

“Oh sure!” said Hop in a high-spirited tone.

The two boys heard the muffled voices of Leon and Amelia Eudios through the floor.

“Eavesdropping?” mouthed Victor.

“Sure,” Hop mouthed back.

The two boys placed their ears on the red-carpeted floor.

“I know he’s nearly fourteen Leon but you know how he is. He needs someone else in his life besides Victor to look after him while he’s there,” Mum said.

“I know mum, he’s always been like this. Always rushing headfirst into things without thinking through things first,” replied Leon.

“Like the time he lit the leaves he raked on fire,” grandma inserted.

“That was an accident!” thought Hop.

“But will he last at Ranger school? He cried when a wooloo would get lost. There are people out there he will face as a ranger who abuse Pokémon, beat them, kill them, sell them for profit, poach them, he’s got a good heart but he’s a gentle child. I fear being a ranger could break him,” said Mum with a sigh.

Hop’s brow furrowed, last time he cried when a wooloo got lost was when he was twelve. 

“Mum, he wants what he wants. It’s okay if he decides he doesn’t want to be a ranger later. I just hope he’s not broken when he does,” said Leon.

Hop could imagine Leon staring out of the kitchen window when he said that.

“You know he’ll go until he’s beaten into the ground. He’s always been an all or nothing person. So why would now be any different?” grandpa pointed out.

“I don’t know, this has all been so sudden. Yesterday he was so unsure about what he wanted in life. Then the second I speak to him this morning, he wants to be a ranger and is bouncing around like a Scorbunny,” said Leon.

“I’d say he’s back to old Hop,” said grandpa.

“I guess,” said Leon softly.

“Leon, promise me you’ll look after him. After what happened that day, I don’t want a scare like that again,” said Mum.

That day, the darkest day. The day Hop and Gloria battled Eternatus while Victor, Marnie, and Bede kept the Chairman at bay down in the power plant. The day Hop saw Leon nearly lose his life, and for what? The impatience of a man the region once considered a king. All because the Chairman couldn’t wait a single day.

“I will Mum, don’t worry,” said Leon.

“Thank you, dear,” said Mum.

“Would you like some tea, Leon? You must be awfully stressed as of late,” said grandma.

“Yes grandma that would be nice,” said Leon.

“How has the battle tower been going?” asked Grandpa.

“Good, been battling a lot of strong trainers. Haven’t been beaten yet,” said Leon.

Hop and Victor lifted their ears from the floor.

And that was that a short conversation about Hop before the golden son became the center of attention once again. Leon was undefeated at the battle tower, of course, he was. He’d been the unbeaten champion for nearly fourteen years. And Hop had been the second-best and never enough for just as long.

“Well,” said Victor awkwardly.

“I guessed that’s what their conversation would be about. I know they’re worried, but it’s still a bit annoying. I caught a legendary and helped save the region. They still treat me like a baby, and talk nonstop about Leon,” said Hop.

“They’ll see how great you really are one day Hop, I promise,” said Victor as he cupped one of Hop’s cheeks with his hand.

“And if they don’t? And not as great as Leon,” whispered Hop.

“There will be people who know your greatness. I know how great you are and so does Gloria. Besides, all you need in life is a few good people. And you’re Hop, not Leon, and you’re amazing as you are,” said Victor in a soft and comforting voice.

“And Hop?” asked Victor.

“Yes, Victor?” whispered Hop lightly.

“Are you okay? You seem so quiet lately. What’s on your mind?” said Victor.

Hop felt the air being sucked from his lungs, someone finally asked him that question that was probably so stupid sounding to anyone else, but why was it so important to him? Why was Victor so worried about him? No one else had been, so why now?

“Oh me? I’ve never been better!” said Hop as he forced a broken smile on his face.

It was convincing enough, for now at least.


	3. Someday soon (your whole life's gonna change)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title taken from “Good Old Days” by Macklemore featuring Kesha
> 
> Also since LaFayette-Tyler would be a mouthful to type and say I’m having Mrs and Madame LaFayette-Tyler being referred to by their first names of Muriel and Andréa.
> 
> Also I came up with their names, and the middle and last names of Victor and Gloria.
> 
> Edit: large portion of chapter cut out

Saturday morning had arrived bright and early in Wedgehurst as two boys and a girl walked down the sidewalk to a large school. This had been the school they had attended together for seven years. Gloria would be returning when the school year began (her and Victor’s moms made her, that was the deal, after the gym challenge (especially now that she was champion), she and Victor would return to school).

“Race you two to the top of the stairs! Ya know? For old times sake!” said Gloria as the trio reached the foot of the stairs.

“Sure!” said Hop and Victor in one voice.

“Ready, set, go!” said Gloria.

The three teenagers shot up the stairs, the early autumn breeze running through their hair. It was as though they had stepped back in time. Back to the days of elementary school when they hadn’t a care in the world other than finishing their homework in time to watch cartoons.

“I win!” said Hop as he raised his hands above his head and posed like a machamp.

He bounced around a bit until Victor and Gloria reached the top of the stone steps.

“Good job Hop!” said Gloria as she finished her run as Victor came up behind her.

The three laughed, one of the last times they would get to be young and dumb like this ever again. Especially since adult-level responsibilities were about to be taken on.

The three walked into the school, and the scent of lemon cleaner reached their nostrils, fresh and acidic, migraine-inducing.

A short, stout blonde woman sat at the desk.

“Morning Mrs. Smithins. We’re here for the ranger school exam,” said Hop as he walked up the aging school secretary’s desk.

“Names?” Mrs. Smithins asked as she typed away at her computer.

She looked up at the three, and there came a kind sheen to her brown eyes.

“Hop Astralis Eudios,” said Hop.

“Victor Niven LaFayette-Tyler,” said Victor.

“Gloria Nilsa LaFayette-Tyler,” said Gloria.

Mrs. Smithins typed the names into her computer. Her eyes then went to Gloria.

“Your name’s not the list Gloria. You coming along to give em a hard time?” said Mrs. Smithins.

“Yes, you think I’d pass that up?” Gloria said with a chuckle.

“Certainly haven’t changed since last time,” said Mrs. Smithins with a kind smile.

“Testing room’s at the end of the hall. Waiting area for friends and family of the test takers is the lunchroom,” said Mrs. Smithins as she pulled three name tags from the printer.

Hop, Victor, and Gloria each placed their respective name tags on their chest.

“See you two. Don’t pass out while you’re in there,” said Gloria as she hugged her twin and childhood friend.

“Don’t worry Glo,” said Victor with a playfully annoyed eye roll.

“Yeah, we’re big boys!” said Hop with fabricated offense.

Gloria gave a snorted laugh as she back away with her arms crossed over her chest. Before she finally turned and walked down the hall to the lunchroom.

Hop and Victor walked to the test room.

“Ready?” Victor asked in a soft tone.

“Yeah,” Hop half-lied.

The two boys went in. There were only three other students in the room, all of them, classmates of theirs, and hopefully future classmates of theirs at the ranger academy.

There was Seth, a tall, thin boy who reminded them of a much less pretty Bede. Platinum blonde hair and chalky white skin (instead of Bede’s smooth porcelain skin) and all. Seth wore his signature pinched look that he wore everywhere.

Tia, a short and pretty girl with dark curls and dark brown skin. Who sat reading a book in her seat in a frilly pink dress at her usual spot, smack dab in the center of the classroom.

And finally, Garrett who sat at the back of the room, spindly arms laced behind his head full of shaggy black hair, and lanky legs crossed on top of the desk.

“I’m not asking you again Mr. Niklaus. Take. Your. Feet. Off. The. Desk” said a tall, willowy woman who stood at the front of the room.

Garrett grunted as he took his feet off the desk.

“Good,” the woman said as she turned to Hop and Victor.

“Ah, Mr. Eudios and Mr. LaFayette-Tyler. So glad you made it. Take a seat, the test will begin at ten o’clock on the dot,” the woman cooed.

Hop sat at his usual spot at the far left seat in the front row while Victor sat in the same place two rows behind him.

“Now since everyone has arrived. Allow us to introduce ourselves,” the tall woman said.

“I am Miss April, I have taught at the ranger school in Almia for the past fifteen years and this is my first year teaching here in Galar and I am very pleased to be here to see all of the future rangers who will be joining us soon!” Miss April said with a sugary smile.

Miss April had long red hair with a thick streak of gray and white in it. From her face alone it was clear she had seen many joyous moments, joyful smile lines around her mouth and eyes.

The second woman (of about nineteen or twenty years old) at the front of the room spoke up.

She was an inch or two shorter than Miss April, curvy, and had ebony curls and brown skin that was sprinkled with freckles.

“My name is Lalia, I will be the head ranger at the Hammerlocke Ranger Station. If you need anything just call me up!” she said with a bright smile.

“Now, it’s nine fifty-five. We will begin passing out the tests,” said Miss April as she handed a stack of test papers to Lalia.

“The test will last ninety minutes and there will be one hundred questions. No talking, eating, sharing answers, cheating, earbuds, or drinking anything that isn’t water in a clear water bottle. Phones must be turned off or turned to silent during the test. If any of these rules are broken you will be dismissed without warning. If a phone goes off during the test all scores will be canceled. If you must use the restroom then raise your hand and we will dismiss you. The scores, due to how few of you there are, will be released this afternoon,” said Miss April as Lalia passed out the test papers.

A test question sheet and a bubble answer sheet was set on Hop’s desk.

This was it, the test would begin in three minutes, he had to pass it.

“All or nothing Hop. Don’t fuck this up!” he told himself.

The bell sounded for ten o’clock.

“You may begin,” said Miss April.

Hop started the test. Which he tried to focus on, and if Hop were, to be honest, wasn’t very difficult, maybe it had been all the studying he’d been doing over the past six days.

Then came the final question.

“Why have you chosen to be a Pokémon Ranger? Give an honest response, this portion will not be graded, as we are curious as to why you have chosen this”.

Hop gulped for a moment.

“Fifteen minutes left,” said Miss April.

“I want to help people and Pokémon. Also when I heard my best friend Victor was joining, I guess you could say I had an epiphany that night. I dreamed of us as rangers. We were on a snowy mountain in a blizzard with a large bird Pokémon with leathery black skin flying over us. So that’s why I chose to be a ranger. I know it sounds like I must have been on something but that’s why I wanna be a ranger” Hop wrote.

“Time! Pass the test forward, any non answered question will not count against you, the test is based on how many are answered correct,” said Miss April with her hands behind her.

Laila came around and collected the test and bubble sheet from all five of them.

“The tests have all been collected, you are dismissed and the scores will be released this afternoon. Until then, have a good day!” said Miss April.

Hop got up from his seat and released a heavy sigh, only time would tell now.

“You did it Hop!” said Victor as he walked over to his friend.

“Thanks, I’m sure you did amazing,” said Hop with a small laugh.

“C’mon. Let’s go find Gloria and we’ll go get some ice cream,” said Victor.

Hop followed Victor out of the room and to the lunchroom.

Victor pushed open the door and there sat Gloria at their usual lunch table. The one under the Cheri berry tree they’d never been allowed to eat from. She was scrolling through her phone. Hop and Victor ran over to her.

She looked up from her scrolling.

“How’d it go?” Gloria asked as she rose from her seat.

“Good, the scores will be released this afternoon,” said Victor.

..........

It was evening now, and the test scores were still not out yet, dinner had passed and the LaFayette-Tyler family and the Eudios family were in the living room of the Eudios residence having tea.

“The tea tastes lovely Lorraine!” Muriel told Grandma.

“Why thank you dear,” said grandma with a smile.

Hop felt his phone ping.

“Mum, I think I might have gotten the notification for the test score,” said Hop.

“I think I did too mama,” said Victor.

“Then open it up,” said Andréa.

All the other eyes in the room turned to the two boys.

Hop and Victor took out their phones and sure enough, it was the email for the test scores.

Hop clicked the notification with baited breath.

For a few seconds the phone’s screen was white.

“Dear Hop Eudios,

We are pleased to inform you of your score of 100 out of 100 on our entrance exam. We will be anticipating your arrival at Wyndon Ranger School with much joy, as it’s rare we receive such an exceptional student! Autumn term begins September the fourth, until then we hope you are readily preparing for your arrival!

Best Wishes,  
Miss Jolene April, headmistress of the Wyndon Ranger School,” Hop read aloud from his phone.

“What does yours say Vic?” asked Gloria.

“It says I scored ninety-nine out of one hundred,” said Victor.

“I’d say both are a fair reason to celebrate!” said Andréa.

“A toast!” said Leon as he rose, “to Hop and Victor and their future as Pokémon Rangers,”.

Everyone rose their teacup, “To Hop and Victor,”.

And for a moment Hop felt like he was on top of the world.


	4. Please try to never grow up (too fast)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title taken from Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift
> 
> There’s a big thing coming next chapter and this fic after that will be getting incredibly, dark to say the least, and as the updated tags have said.

“You should have seen their faces Hop! Bede and Marnie were as red as tamato berries!” said Gloria as Hop’s rotom phone whizzed around the room as it followed the boy.

He was on FaceTime with Gloria who was in Wyndon at a tourney with the gym leaders. More like she had just gotten out of it.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” said Hop as he rolled up his Charizard poster and rolled his eyes.

“Fine! Have the picture!” said Gloria, as Hop imagined her to be doing an annoyed pout at his response.

Hop spun around and looked at the phone, in place of Gloria’s face was a picture of Marnie and Bede snogging, and then a picture of them as red as the aforementioned tamato berries. Oh, Ms. Opal and Piers would not be happy when they found out!

“Fine I believe you!” said Hop as dubwool trotted over to him carrying a cardboard box on its back.

“Beeh!” said dubwool as Hop took the box.

“Thanks, Dub,” said Hop as he knelt down and began to search through the box.

“Good! So that’s why I’m running from one very pissed off Bede and one very pissed off Marnie!” said Gloria as she began to pant when her face returned to the screen.

Hop plucked a few items from the box. Which included an old stuffed wooloo, an old 3DS, and some old games.

“Gotta run! Literally! See ya Hop! Hope you don’t lose your mind packing!” said Gloria as she ended the call.

“You too,” said Hop as his voice got a bit quiet.

Then a large burst of light and Zacian appeared in front of him. Staring at him with piercing yellow eyes ringed with scarlet.

“Oh hey Zac, sorta busy right now but you can help dubwool and I pack right now,” Hop said as he grabbed a few more games out of the box before closing it.

Zacian just stared at Hop before it went over to the small Pokemon bed in the corner, which, unsurprisingly, it was too big for and fell asleep.

Hop opened another box from under his bed, which from he took out an old DS, a few DS games, and three game cartridge cases for the 3DS, DS, and Switch games.

Hop shut the box and placed it on his bed with a sigh, he stood again and took his posters of Machamp, Gengar, as well as the red league challenge one down.

Gently rolling them up as Zacian let out an echoing “awoooo!” Hop stiffened with a start.

“I told ya to keep it down up there Hop!” Mum shouted up from the kitchen.

“Sorry, mum!” Hop shouted back as he wrapped all four posters into a large rubber band and set them down on the floor.

Hop paused for a moment and looked around the room. All the walls had been completely stripped of the posters, wall stickers, the Leon portrait, the books and other knick-knacks that had been on the shelves, the only thing remaining being the lime green clock he was too short to reach.

Stacks of folded clothes were on the floor, along with with the hygiene items, his sleeping bonnet, a pillow with a satin pillowcase, a checkered fleece blanket, and the ranger school textbooks.

The Leon portrait, along with a few select books, the 3DS, the DS, the Switch, and the games were coming with him to ranger school. Well, you know along with some clothes, the ranger school textbooks, his Pokémon (no brainer), hygiene items, and the ranger school uniform.

Then came a knock at the door and Hop stiffened up again.

“Come in,” he says in a small voice.

Leon stepped in, dressed in a t-shirt and jeans.

“Hey, hopscotch! Packing going good?” he asked as he closed the door behind him.

“Good, I’m just getting started, shouldn’t be too long before I’m all done,” said Hop as he started to place the stacks of clothes in his suitcase.

“Eh, it can take longer than you think,” said Leon as he looked down at his brother.

“But since you’re going back to Wyndon with me I figured I may want to come and talk to you,” said Leon.

“About what?” Hop questioned as he continued to pack up his suitcase.

“Well you’re growing up, I mean it feels like yesterday I held you for the first time in the hospital. Now you’re nearly fourteen and headed off to ranger school,” said Leon with a wistful sigh and look in his golden eyes.

“Arceus Lee, I’m not going away to uni!” Hop said with a small laugh as he looked up at his brother for a moment.

“I know, I know. But it certainly feels like you are,” chuckled Leon as he leaned against the door.

“But I’m not. It’s only for two years or so, I’ll be out by the time I’m fifteen or sixteen,” said Hop as he started to pack the hygiene items and toiletries into his suitcase.

“You’ll be that much closer to eighteen,” sighed Leon as he drummed his fingers on the door.

“But we’ll still be able to spend time together? Right?” asked Hop in a small voice.

“Of course! Especially now that we’re going to be closer together!” said Leon as he looked over at a sleeping Zacian.

“Beeh,” said Dubwool as it went to Hop’s side with the stuffed wooloo in its mouth.

“Ah, I think he likes it, Hop,” said Leon with a grin at the sheep Pokémon.

Hop turned his head to look at his first Pokémon, “I think he does!” said Hop as he pet dubwool.

Dubwool beeh’d again as it dropped the plushie. Hop picked it up and shoved it in his backpack.

“Anyway, you come to give me advice or something?” asked Hop as he put his textbooks into his suitcase before zipping it up.

“Um- yes!” stammered Leon.

“Well since you’re nearly fourteen I guess I would share some things I wish I knew at your age,” started Leon as Hop began to fill up his backpack.

“Like?” Hop asked as he stared up at his brother.

“Well for one, you’re not Arceus, don’t try to fix everything,” said Leon as he looked down at his brother.

“I’m not sure you even know that,” Hop thought sarcastically as he continued filling up his backpack.

“Another thing is that not everyone will like you, or will come around to you. Some people just aren’t meant to like each other,” said Leon.

“Fair,” thought Hop.

“First loves don’t always last and that’s just fine, sometimes friendships don’t last either and that’s fine as well. But all that matters is that you have one or two good friends that stick by your side,” said Leon, “and by that same note heartbreak is temporary, you may be crying over them now but in a few years you will have moved onto bigger and better things,”. 

Hop nodded as he finished packing up his backpack with a singular zip.

“Also, please don’t try to grow up too fast. I know it’s hard to do when you’re a teenager and feel grown-up enough for the world. But enjoy being a kid while you still can, you’re only this young once in your life, once you grow up you can never be a kid again,” said Leon.

Hop laced his hands together, the sting from the burn on his palms still there, wincing a little as he did.

“And finally, it’s not a big deal if things don’t go exactly as you planned, life is bumpy, to say the least. There are things in life that are a bigger deal than things not going exactly as planned. It’s gonna be okay in the end,” said Leon with a sympathetic smile on his face. 

Hop forced a smile on his face, he knew Leon meant well when saying things like “it’s not a big deal” or “it’s gonna be okay”. But it just came off so, patronizing. Like whenever Leon would connect a compliment for Hop back to himself. Hop was sure Leon didn’t mean it in a condescending way, but it certainly came off as such.

“Leon! Hop! Time for dinner!” called mum from downstairs.

“Well, I guess that’s our cue,” chuckled Leon with his hands on his hips.

Hop returned Zacian and dubwool to their balls before he followed Leon down the stairs.

Maybe if Leon or Hop had an inkling of what was to come, maybe it would have made things easier, maybe what was to happen wouldn’t have hurt so bad. But there was no room for such thoughts in their minds. Such is the danger of a stubborn mind.


	5. Emotional earthquake, Bring on disaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title from “starving” by Hailee Steinfeld featuring Zedd and Grey.  
> Oh you guys are gonna be so mad at me for this chapter, I already know it. I’m ready for the pitchforks and possible death too. Or the death of my fanfiction career.  
> Also next chapter is where the darkness will really start to come in, though a keen eye may have spotted one or two of the darker elements already.  
> also updating twice in one day? I’m on a writing roll! (Being that this chapter has been being written since the first also helped).

Hop clenched his hand around the glass as he took a sip of the water that was inside. The family had just sat down for dinner. Hop had spent the entire day packing for school. Tomorrow he would leave and yet still all the family could talk about was Leon.

“Why can’t I just have one day about me?” Hop thought as he put the glass down.

“Perfect Leon. Leon, Leon, Leon!” Hop thought as he answered his own question.

“Keep an eye on your brother,” mum told Leon, which snapped Hop out of his train of thought.

“I’m not a little kid anymore. I’m almost fourteen!” Hop thought as he took a bite of the food on his plate. 

“Sure, mum! I’ll make sure he doesn’t get into any trouble!” said Leon.

Typical really. It was the exact same conversation when Hop started his journey, the exact same as the time Hop broke his leg when he was six, the time the family visited Leon when Hop was ten, and the exact same as the time Hop got Wooloo when he was five.

Hop didn’t need someone to look after him, he was going to be a Pokémon ranger for Arceus’s sake!

Hop kept eating silently, not even looking up from his plate once. His hand was still clenched tightly to his fork, he thought he might crush it into tiny bits since he was holding it so tight.

“I’m sure the ranger school will be filled with pride to have a student who is the former champion’s younger brother,” grandpa said in a quiet voice.

That’s all he was, wasn’t he? The champion’s younger brother, who was never enough. Even to his own family, and there was something about that which made Hop’s chest feel like it was made of stone.

Hop slammed his hands against the table, causing the tableware to clatter. Hop felt his heart slam in rage, he didn’t dare look up at the faces of his family.

“Hop!” mum hissed quietly.

Hop felt the gazes of his family all on him, suffocating, to say the least. 

“What?” Hop said as he shot a glare at his mum in a nasty tone.

“Don’t start, we want to give Leon a nice dinner before he goes back to Wyndon don’t we?” Mum whispered near silently in his ear.

Boom, the bomb filled with napalm had exploded in Hop’s chest. He could feel the nuclear flames burning his lungs in a sort of unexplainable rage he had never felt before in his life. 

Hop shot up from his seat. His grandparents stared at him disapprovingly. Like the time he set fire to the garbage can. 

“You know what?” Hop said as he began to pant in exasperation and letting out a freakish laugh that can only be born of such rage.

“Now I know how you see me. I think it’s time for me to go,” said Hop as he began to walk to the door.

“Hop, please,” said Leon in a quiet tone that Hop had never heard him talk in before.

Hop let out the same laugh as before, it almost felt good to release it.

“Sit down,” mum mouth at her younger son with a pissed off look on her face.

“Why should I! Besides now you’ll only have your perfect son! After all, it's all you seem to care about! Leon this! Leon that! Leon’s oh so perfect! Hop why can’t you be more mature like Leon? It’s all I’ve ever heard for almost fourteen years!” shouted Hop, his chest rising and falling with each lungful of air in.

“SIT DOWN!” Mum shouted.

Hop’s gaze shot to his elder brother, the one he had idolized all his life. His older brother, the unbeatable champion, perfect in every way. Leon wore an expression Hop couldn’t quite make out. 

“Hop, please,” Leon repeated this time louder sounding desperate.

“Why!” Hop shouted.

“Because they’re our family!” Leon shouted.

Family? Family meant nothing anymore, nearly fourteen years of being in his older brother’s shadow. The family he would always be second best in. The family he would never in a million years be enough to.

“Family! You’re my family too! I’ve been living in your shadow since before I was even fucking born! And did you ever think once about how that would affect me? Of course, you wouldn’t! You never asked and you were never here! I never stood a chance against you! You’re all they ever fucking talk about! Don’t you think I already know I’ll never be enough for them!” Hop yelled and clenched his fists so tightly he thought the veins in his fingers would pop.

“Hop!” his grandmother said with a gasp as sharp as a fresh knife.

Leon and their grandfather’s mouths were near perfect O shapes. Surprised at the feelings of the boy and the string of swears that had escaped his mouth.

“Hop Astralis Eudios! Go to your room now!” Mum snapped at him and pointed up the stairs, “I’m not asking again!”

Hop trudged up the stairs to his barren bedroom. All the posters and pictures were taken down and only shadows of where they used to be remained. Drawers were nearly empty with the exception of a few old clothes that no longer fit, and his gym challenge uniform.

That’s when Hop noticed the window, and that his backpack and suitcase that were beside it.

Hop went over to the window and opened it up. He slung his backpack over his shoulders and yanked up his suitcase by its top handle. He raised his leg and stepped onto the window sill, wobbled slightly, then tilted forward.

A gust of wind came out of nowhere, Hop wobbled again, then took a nose dive into the bushes.

Hop felt the crunch of the leaves and the cracks of the branches of the brushes beneath his scrawny body and backpack, he felt the sour taste of shallow breaths on his tongue.

“What was that?” Hop heard from the kitchen.

He heard the scoot of the chairs.

Hop shot up and jumped the stone fence, his heart thumping like a boombox and raced down the dirt road to Wedgehurst.

..................................

The soft glow of twilight was nearly gone by the time Hop had reached Sonia’s apartment.

Hop knocked on Sonia’s door. 

“Just a minute!” came Sonia’s voice.

A moment later the door opened to reveal a Sonia dressed in an oversized Go-Rock Quad t-shirt and pink pajama pants.

“Hop!” Sonia said as her aquamarine eyes widened.

“Er, hey Sonia. I need a place to stay for the night, it’s a long story,” Hop said with a nervous laugh.

Sonia stepped aside and Hop walked in. 

Her apartment was slightly messy, but Hop assumed it would always be in a slight state of disarray.

Sonia shut the door behind Hop as he sat down on the couch.

“What happened?” asked Sonia as she sat down beside the boy, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Nothing important,” Hop said quickly, maybe Leon hadn’t told her, maybe he wouldn’t tell her. Maybe it was for the best he didn’t either.

“C’mon Hop tell me what’s wrong, Leon mentioned something about you having a fight with your mum earlier,” said Sonia.

“She got pretty pissed, so I left. I said some pretty nasty things to Leon, then she told me to go to my room, and then I jumped out the window. Leon hates me, grandma hates me, grandpa hates me, mum hates me. I don’t think they want me around anymore after I told Leon all that shit,” said Hop as he placed his head on Sonia’s shoulder.

“Hop...” murmured Sonia.

“I didn’t mean to say it, I meant it in the moment, yes, but now I have no one,” said Hop as his chest tightened and felt his eyes begin to burn.

Hop started to sob, they were wretched gagging sobs, it was as though someone had murdered his Dubwool. He buried his face in his hands as tears blurred his vision.

“Hop it’s gonna be okay. I promise, do you wanna call Leon or your mum just to talk?” asked Sonia in a gentle voice as she held the crying boy.

Hop couldn’t answer, so he just shook his head lightly and continued to sob away. The tears were warm and salty, some fell into his mouth as he choked out another sob.

“Hop?” he heard Sonia say as she rubbed his back in a comforting motion.

“Sonia, Please. I just need some time alone,” he said in between choked sobs.

Then Sonia removed herself from him. And he heard her walk down the hall.

Hop kept sobbing as he curled himself up into a fetal position, his world black, tears still falling from his eyes, and his hair a mess.

And there Hop stayed until he heard a knock at the door. He started to sit up gingerly, still hiccuping from tears.

“I’ll get it,” said Sonia.

Hop curled up again, it was probably his family, or at the very least Professor Magnolia, or maybe Leon. Hop didn’t care, or at least that’s what Hop told himself.

“Where is he?” was the immediate response when the door opened.

Then the sound of two pairs of feet rushed in, and Hop looked up. There stood the twins, newly crowned champion Gloria and Victor.

Hop sat up, his eyes completely bloodshot from tears, and sniffled as he wiped some of the snot from his nose.

“My Arceus, this is a disaster,” said Gloria as she looked upon her childhood friend with a grim expression.

“Gloria!” hissed Sonia quietly as she shut the door.

“No, she’s fine, she’s right after all. This is a disaster. I fucked up, it’s my fault,” said Hop as his voice began to clear up.

One twin sat on each side of Hop. Gloria on the right and Victor on the left.

“We heard what happened. We came to check on you to see if you’re okay,” said Gloria.

“I’m not okay, but I appreciate you guys coming, after all, you two have always been there for me,” said Hop.

“Did my mum and Leon send you guys?” asked Hop.

“No, we came because we wanted to see if you’re alright like we said before, we won’t make you talk to Leon or anyone until you’re ready,” said Victor.

“And thank fuck for that!” said Hop with a little laugh.

“You two can stay the night with Hop if you’d like. Gloria can stay with me in my room, and you two boys can sleep in the guest bedroom,” said Sonia.

“Thanks, I’ll call me and Victor’s mums and tell them what’s going on,” said Gloria.

“Thanks, Sonia,” said Hop, as he rose from the couch, albeit a bit shaky.

“It’s the least I could do,” said Sonia with a concerned look.

And by the time midnight rolled around, Sonia and the trio were fast asleep.

.................................

The air was filled with ash every which way Hop looked, there were rising flames from the broken bits of the building. The dim red lights flickering in and out like a dying star.

The power plant, the darkest day, back from its prison of the past, back to haunt Hop.

If only it hadn’t been for one thing.

As ashes lessened ever so slightly, he could make out the shadow of a figure laying on the floor.

Hop rushed over to see who it was exactly. Victor. But the older him from the other dream, in his ranger uniform too.

Knocked out, blood all over his midsection, curled up in a fetal position, and arms placed over his stomach.

Hop pulled up one of Victor’s arms to reveal what was under it.

A gorey hole, insides that resembled a black Cheri berry slushie were coming out of it along with more blood. Hop gagged a little when he first saw it, but there were more important things to worry about than how the wound looked.

“Vic, what happened?” cried Hop as he picked up Victor.

Hop raced to the lift with Victor in his arm, adrenaline the only thing keeping him going, he had to get out of here. They had to get out of here if Victor even had a chance left to live.

“Please don’t leave me, Vic,” whispered Hop in a weak, trembling voice.

A deafening swoosh came from above them, Hop looked up, his whole body shaking like a leaf in the harsh winter wind.

There was the skeletal dragon, eldritch abomination, red glow and all, it released its screech that sounded like tearing steel. Eternatus, where was Gloria? How did it get out?

Hop started running again, coughing as he inhaled the ashes. He tripped over a piece of debris and the world went black.

...................................

“Hop! What’s the matter!” whispered Victor as he looked upon his sweat-drenched friend.

Hop’s eyes snapped open and gazed around the room, Sonia’s house, it hadn’t been real.

“Darkest day. Fire. Blood. Guts that looked like a slushie. You knocked out! Eternatus! escaped!” Hop panted as his body trembled.

“Breathe Hop breathe” Victor began as he pulled his friend close.

Hop began to breathe, heavy, deep breaths of panic. His chest rising and falling with each one. His body trembling like a snorunt.

“Tell me what happened,” said Victor in a soothing tone.

“It was the darkest day again, you were all bloodied up, Eternatus escaped from the Pokeball. There was so much fire and ash everywhere I could barely see as I tried to get you to the lift, then I tripped on a bit of debris and woke up,” murmured Hop.

Victor was silent for a few moments that felt like an eternity to Hop.

“I’ll be honest, Gloria still gets nightmares of that too, we’re not sure when or if they’re ever going to go away. Mum and mama say they’re going to take Glo to a psychologist for them,” explained Victor, “I’m here for you just like I’m here for her, and I hear you…...do you need anything else?”

“For you to stay. Please don’t go, Vic, I can’t lose you,” Hop whimpered into the taller boy’s delicate chest.

“I’m here,” whispered Victor as he lightly rocked Hop in his lap.

“I’m here,” Hop repeated in the same tone as Victor.

“I’m not going anywhere, I can’t promise that forever, but I can promise it for right now,” murmured Victor.

Hop curled up into a ball in Victor’s lap. His hands stinging like crazy.

“That’s all I need,” Hop whispered, “That’s all I need,”.

“I’m here, you’re safe, I’ll stay as long as you need,” said Victor as he nuzzled his face into Hop’s bonnet.

“Thank you,” was all Hop could manage to say.


	6. You don't ever have to be stronger than you really are

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title taken from California by Lana Del Rey

Hop woke up that September the fourth morning with his head on a sleeping Victor’s chest. The sunshine spilled through the window behind the bed. He could hear Rookidees chirping outside as he sat up in bed and stretched out his thin arms and legs.

He then saw a pair of skinny legs beside him stretch out into the en pointe position. Hop’s eyes traveled up the legs until he saw Victor’s face, his arms stretched high above his head like he was hanging on a pull-up bar.

“Morning Vic,” said Hop as he threw off the covers.

“Morning Hop,” said Victor as he sat up beside Hop.

“Feel better?” asked Victor.

“Yeah,” said Hop as he rubbed his upper arm.

Hop’s eyes then turned to the clock, it read nine o’clock in the morning, Hop jumped out of bed.

“We only have an hour and fifteen minutes before we have to be at the station!” said Hop as he grabbed the clothes he laid out the night before and raced for the bathroom.

He slammed the door behind him and began to spread deodorant all over his body before he started getting dressed. After he had thrown on his jacket he quickly pulled off his bonnet to reveal a head of thick curly hair shaped like a hop bud (Leon had once jokingly told Hop that’s why he was named, well, Hop). He began to touch up his hair as swiftly and carefully as he could before he headed back out into the hallway where he was greeted by the scent of earl grey tea.

Hop followed the scent to the kitchen where Victor, Gloria, and Sonia were all ready for the day. 

“Morning Hop!” said Gloria as she yawned.

“Morning Gloria,” said Hop as he sat down at the table.

“Morning Hop. Again sorry it’s just toast but we woke up late and we don’t have much time so,” said Sonia as she set the toast on the table.

The three teens and the red-headed professor devoured the toast as yamper ate its’ food.

“Thanks for breakfast Sonia!” the trio said in one voice.

Then the three teens and the professor finished getting ready.

“And all done with twenty minutes to spare!” said Sonia as she checked her watch.

Yamper yapped happily.

“Everyone got everything?” asked Sonia as she went to the door.

“Yes,” said Hop as Victor nodded.

“Then let’s go,” said Sonia, as the four humans and one Pokémon headed out the door.

...........................

Ten minutes later they had arrived at the station. Muriel and Andréa were waiting for them.

Muriel wearing her usual gear she worked out in fields with and Andréa in a combo of a crisp white shirt and brand new overalls.

Muriel wrapped her son in her Herculean arms as soon as she saw him.

“Mum! Can’t! Breathe!” gasped Victor in surprise as he hugged his mother back.

“I’m sorry Vicky, it’s just my baby boy is growing up!” said Muriel as she released her son from the hug.

Victor took a moment to catch his breath.

“Good morning Muriel, good morning Andréa,” said Hop as he waved at his two friends’ parents.

It certainly felt strange calling his friends’ parents by their first names, but Muriel and Andréa insisted upon it, with the reason that LaFayette-Tyler was too much of a mouthful. Which was entirely fair, but it still felt weird nonetheless.

“Have you gotten everything?” Muriel asked Victor.

“Yes Mum,” said Victor as they walked towards the train platform.

“Did you remember to bring your allergy medicine?” Muriel asked Victor.

“Yes Mum, like I could forget that,” said Victor.

“I know, but when you have children you’ll understand why I want to check these things over and over with you,” said Muriel as she lightly brushed Victor’s shoulder.

They finally reached the platform. It was nearly empty. Sans for Tia and her Haunter (affectionately named “Haunts”), who held an umbrella to shield itself from the light.

“I’m gonna miss you Vic!” said Gloria as she hugged her twin brother.

“I’m gonna miss you too Glo!” said Victor in a muffled voice.

“I’m gonna miss you two! It’s sure gonna be a lot less interesting with you two at ranger school, and Gloria going to year ten,” laughed Sonia as she patted Hop’s back and then Victor’s.

“Hop, make sure Victor doesn’t get into any trouble,” said Andréa, her Kalosean accent making her voice sound romantic.

“No wonder Muriel fell head over heels for her,” Hop thought.

“I won’t Andréa I promise. After all, Victor kept me out of loads of trouble on our journey,” chuckled Hop as he placed his hands on his hips.

“Good,” said Gloria as she released her twin and slapped him on the back.

A loud whistle sounded, signaling it was time to board.

“Don’t get too riled up!” teased Muriel.

“Bye!” said Victor as he quickly hugged Gloria, Muriel, and Andréa.

Hop swiftly hugged Sonia, before the two boys and Gloria rushed onto the train with their things.

They found seats near the back of the train as it began to move.

“Why are you coming with us Glo?” asked Victor as the trio sat down.

“Champion needs to be at the ranger school opening. It’s a tradition for every region that has a champion, I have to go meet with the stylists that are arranged to meet me,” explained Gloria.

“Champion Gloria, we’re ready for you,” said a woman dressed completely in black.

“Oh thank you, Liz,” said Gloria as she got up and walked away with Liz.

Hop looked out the window as the trees and rolling fields flew by with a slight blur.

It was almost like it was as though they were back on that June first day where their journey began. But now the leaves were beginning to turn the reds and oranges of early fall and Gloria was with her stylist.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” said Hop.

He started to walk to the bathroom, he didn’t really need it, just to walk around to blow off energy.

“You need anything else Mr. Eudios?” Hop heard a hostess ask the person inside the train compartment.

“No, I’m fine,” came Leon’s voice from the compartment.

Hop frozen for a moment. A chill went through his entire body that made it feel like joltik were crawling under every inch of his skin.

The hostess brushed past Hop as she walked past. Hop’s feet moved forward automatically like he was some sort of robot.

He peered into the compartment, there sat Leon staring at his phone.

Hop knocked at the window of the compartment. Leon’s head to turn to look at the perpetrator, and his eyes widened as he saw Hop. The expression was the same one he wore when he found out Hop fought Eternatus.

“Hey, Lee,” said Hop in an awkward, nervous tone.

“Hey, Hop. Sit down,” said Lee as he motioned to the seat across from him.

Hop sat down across from his older brother. That’s when he noticed how tired Leon was, the dark bags under his eyes.

“Do you hate me?” Hop asked bluntly.

“Arceus no Hop!” said Leon immediately after those words left Hop’s mouth.

“Even after all that shit I said to your face?” asked Hop in disbelief.

“Yes,” said Leon.

Hop noticed how the tea in front of Leon was white with cream. 

“So what happened after I left? After I fell out the window I mean,” said Hop.

“Well, we went outside to check what the ruckus was, then saw your window was open, so I called Sonia, Gloria, and Victor, knowing you’d either be at their house or be going to Sonia’s apartment. But if you’re wondering what happened with our family. It was near-complete silence and quite awkward honestly, no one talked at all. They said goodbye to me when I left this morning and I said goodbye back,” said Leon as he took a sip of tea.

“So what happened when you were at Sonia’s apartment?” asked Leon as he set his teacup down.

“Nothing much, Sonia and I talked it over, then Gloria and Victor showed up and we all spent the night,” explained Hop.

Leon nodded and there was a short moment of silence after that.

“Listen Hop....there’s something that you need to know,” Leon said suddenly.

“What is it?” Hop asked softly.

He saw his brother take a deep breath.

“I’m dating Raihan, I have been for about a year, it’s been hard on the both of us. Keeping this secret for so long, I had to tell you, Raihan told his parents, but I wanted you to know before mum, grandma, and grandpa,” said Leon as he began to shake.

Hop bit his lip.

“Look I know you probably have the same viewpoint as them on this sort of thing. So just if you want to tell me I’m disgusting, how Arceus should strike me down in a hyper beam, or how you “love me anyway even though you don’t respect my choice” then get out right now,” said Leon as he downed the rest of his tea.

Hop stiffened for a moment, he always knew how his family thought about gay people and the LGBT community in general, they had very “traditional” views about them to say the least.

It had been the only reason Hop hadn’t told them he was asexual or that some of his crushes at school had been boys, while the rest had been girls.

“Lee, so what if you’re gay? I’m asexual” said Hop.

“What?” Leon said as he looked at Hop, “I mean I wasn’t exactly sure that you would take the news so well. Especially because you’ve looked up to me your whole life, and that this sort of news would change that. Also, I’m bisexual though primarily attracted to men,”.

“You think something as simple as who you’re attracted to would change that? You’re my big brother!” said Hop.

“Right, Hop. Look, I'm sorry I was so blind before about the blatant favoritism our family displays towards me. Hopscotch I’m sorry, we can start over, I’ll be a better brother. Things will be different, I promise,” said Leon.

Hop felt the same chill as before. Was he a liar? Or was he telling the truth? Hop might not have known, but he had to trust. Even if it made him a fool in the eyes of whatever person said it did.

“Sure, I’m not sure that I completely believe you. But I have to trust you, even if it makes me a fool,” said Hop.

“And that’s all I need,” said Leon and perked a small smile, “Also I brought your gym challenge uniform with me, I figured that I could just send it to you when we got to Wyndon,”.

Leon placed Hop’s gym challenger uniform on the table.

“Thanks, Lee,” said Hop as he slid the uniform onto his lap.

“If you roped him into this Leon, it’s darkest day for you when we’re outta here,” said Victor.

Leon and Hop turned, and there stood one very livid Victor, tapping his index finger on his hip.

“What! No! It was Hop’s own choice to talk to me!” Leon started to explain in a panicked voice.

Victor turned to Hop. His friend wore a frown on his face.

“Lee’s telling the truth, I did choose to talk to him,” said Hop.

Victor shut his eyes for a moment before he opened them again and stared at the Eudios sons.

“Well, I’m not exactly sure what to say,” said Victor, “I honestly wasn’t expecting you guys to make up so quick,”.

“I know that’s a dickhead thing to say. But I guess the universe works in surprising ways,” said Victor as he stretched a little.

“If I’m honest Victor, and I intend to be. I honestly wasn’t expecting to see or hear Hop again for a long time,” said Leon.

“Same,” said Hop as he shifted in his seat, “I honestly thought you would hate me for what I said,”.

“Hop I could never hate you,” said Leon, “get mad at you yes, but never hate you,”.

“Thank you, Lee,” said Hop.

“Mr. Eudios it’s time for you to start getting ready for your speech,” a shorter woman said as she appeared next to Victor.

What? The train would arrive in Wyndon at five o’clock that evening, it was twelve-thirty currently.

“But we aren’t due to arrive in Wyndon until five!” said Hop.

“And you’d be surprised how long getting hair, makeup, and outfits done is. Also, paparazzi will be ruthless if Mr. Eudios and Champion Gloria don’t look their very best,” said the short woman.

“Sure Tara, I’m coming,” said Leon as he rose.

“See you two when we get to Wyndon,” said Leon.

“You too,” said Hop as his brother walked away.

......................................

Gloria and Leon stood in front of their respective brothers. Two bodyguards on each side too.

The bright split-second flashes of light came from behind the glass, the paparazzi and fans packed in like Wishiwashi on either side of the walkway.

“Stay behind us,” said Gloria as the doors to the train opened.

That’s when Hop heard the shouts of the paparazzi, the near-constant shutters of the cameras, and saw the blinding camera flashes.

Arceus, he forgot how utterly dreadful paparazzi could be.

.................................

About fifteen minutes later they arrived at the ranger academy in a sleek and glossy black cab.

Only refined reporters allowed at this event, no low-brow paparazzi for the opening of such a prestigious institution!

Hop’s gaze immediately traveled the building bottom to top.

It was a massive stone structure, like something out of the Victorian era, almost entirely red stone except for the bell tower which looked to be made of marble.

“Truly awe-inspiring isn’t it?” said Gloria as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Yes,” said Hop nearly breathless.

There was a large podium set up in front of the building decorated in the colors of the Galar flag with the region’s Galarian Rapidash symbol in cameo emblem in the center of the podium.

“It’s gonna be a good year Hop! You can do it!” Hop told himself as he walked toward the podium.

That’s when he noticed Miss April standing on the podium all in black with a somber look on her face.

“Hey, you guys go get ready for the speech. I’m gonna go talk to Miss April,” said Hop as he began to rush towards the headmistress.

“Hey, Miss April are you alright?” Hop asked the headmistress gently as he caught up to her in the shrub lined path.

“Oh, yes, it’s just, oh I didn’t expect such a thing to happen only a month into rangers being in Galar,” said Miss April with a loud sniffle.

Miss April’s eyes and nose were as red as cherries as she sniffled loudly again.

“What happened Miss?” asked Hop.

“I suppose there’s no harm in telling you. But just remember there’s no reason to be stronger than you really are,” said Miss April as she adjusted her sweater.

Hop felt a pit begin to grow in his stomach and his mouth began to taste pennies.

“There’s been the death of a ranger. Shot twice in the chest while trying to fight off a poacher,” said Miss April as she started to get choked up again.

“Death of a ranger,” those words rang in Hop’s ears.

“Are you still willing to do this?” Miss April asked, her voice an echo.

“Dead,” the word echoed in Hop’s head, he couldn’t hear Miss April anymore, only his own thoughts and the echoing words.

“You could die, idiot!”

“Is that what you want? To be dead?”

“Shot twice in the chest!”

“You stupid piece of shit! You’re going to die you fuck!”

“That’s why your mother and grandparents don’t talk about you, they know how shit you are!”

“Stupid fuck! Stupid piece of shit! That’s why dad committed suicide! It’s all your fucking fault!”

“SHUT UP!”

“Yes, Miss April,” the words echoed in Hop’s head as he spoke them.


	7. And For One Singular Moment, The World Was Perfect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally published: March 11, 2020
> 
> Updated: April 27, 2020  
> Updates: I utterly hated how I originally did this chapter so I did it over completely

It had been a year and a half since Hop’s first day. Six hundred and eight days to be exact, not that anyone had been counting, okay maybe someone was.

Hop stared up at the cloudless sky above him, the rope tied around his waist as he made it up the rock wall. The wind was nothing more than a light breeze that early May day. Cinderace climbed up the wall beside Hop, with a little skip in its step as it did.

“Focus on the sky!” shouted the endurance teacher from the bottom.

He felt the coarse rock underneath his hands as he pulled himself up to the top, and looked down at those still climbing. Victor, his Togedemaru clinging to his back, Tia and her Alcremie going up at a steady pace, and a few other students remained on their trek.

Cinderace got to the top as Hop stood up. Hop high-fived the rabbit Pokémon.

“Good job buddy!” said Hop as he smiled at his Cinderace.

Cinderace hopped in joy.

Victor then crawled over the top, Togedemaru still attached to his back, his cheeks were red from the climb.

Within a few minutes, everyone else had made it to the top.

“They say what goes up must come down. Now that you’ve all made it up, you must come back done,” shouted the endurance teacher.

Hop gulped as he peered over the edge of the rock wall. Damn, it looked so far from up here.

Cinderace stood beside its trainer. Hop breathed out and started down the wall, ending with a little jump to the ground.

“Good job Hop,” said the endurance teacher.

“Thanks,” said Hop as Victor touched down.

Hop untied himself as he placed Cinderace back into its ball. Togedemaru hopped onto Victor’s shoulder as he untied himself. The Pokémon fiddled with the chocolate brown man bun at the base of the boy’s head. 

The bell then rang.

“Class is dismissed!” said the endurance teacher.

Hop and Victor raced back into the building, school over. 

Victor and Hop were headed out for a walk. So long as they were back by eleven Miss April and the staff would have no qualms about the students going out on Friday night.

Hop and Victor reached their dorm room and got changed.

Hop watched as Victor applied a thick layer of black lipstick. It was a shiny, glossy black. It shocked Hop how beautiful Victor was, how handsome too. He wasn’t ruggedly handsome but handsome and beautiful in a more boyish and cute way.

Last summer had been when the two boys changed the most. Victor had sprouted long limbs of lean muscle and a deepened voice that was prone to cracks. Which always seemed to crack at the most random of times.

The summer Hop had sprouted up to a few inches taller than Leon, and slender limbs had replaced the scrawny ones. The same voice cracks that plagued Victor had passed over Hop entirely. And for that the golden-eyed boy was grateful.

The summer that was now nearly a year behind them. The last summer they would ever truly get to be kids, and had they known it, it would have made Hop think of one of the pieces of advice Leon had given him, _“Please don’t try to grow up too fast. I know it’s hard to do when you’re a teenager and feel grown-up enough for the world. But enjoy being a kid while you still can, you’re only this young once in your life, once you grow up you can never be a kid again,”_.

“C’mon Vic we need to go,” said Hop as he looked down at his nails, they were rough and chipped, Nessa would have said Hop needed a manicure.

“You need to learn some patience Hop,” chided Victor as he closed the lipstick tube, “but I’m ready now, so let’s get going”.

“You’re starting to sound like Lee,” Hop said with a chuckle.

Victor rolled his eyes as he opened the door for his roommate.

“Thanks, Vic,” said Hop as he exited.

* * *

The city was a large jungle of steel and glass, though much less monochrome as it had been under Macro Cosmos, less gray and for whatever reason more colorful now, however slightly that was.

There were more neon and electric signs, advertising their wears with bright colors. Gloria appeared in a few advertising cosmetics, everything from natural looks to wild and crazy neon looks fresh out of the eighties.

“Did you ever get used to seeing Leon up in a bunch of ads?” asked Victor as he looked up at all the screens, a sharp crack exiting his voice at the end of the sentence.

“Not really, I saw most of the ads he was in, but mum hid the ones that could be considered……..erm, you probably guess what I mean,” said Hop with a nervous laugh.

“Ah,” said Victor as the boys crossed the street.

Victor sighed as they got to the other side and saw an ad for the upcoming summer league season, Gloria front and center. With her Inteleon, Salazzle, and Noivern on her left and Weavile, Gardevoir, and Rhyperior on her right. Gloria in the center, her gaze shooting the camera a threatening yet undeniably competitive look.

Gloria’s hair had grown from a short brown bob to a long mane of silky hair done into a high ponytail reminiscent of her favorite singer growing up.

While Gloria herself had remained short in stature, her body had grown into something similar to Muriel’s, athletic and sinewy. While Victor had inherited Andréa’s willowy physique.

Not really surprising since she lead a very active lifestyle, with plenty of exercise. Which included jogging, basketball, Taekwondo, and dancing. 

“Quit gawking at Glo!” Victor said playfully as he lightly shoved his friend.

“I wasn’t gawking!” Hop snapped back in a sarcastic tone as he returned Victor’s light shove.

Togedemaru started to exert tiny bolts of electricity when Hop shoved Victor.

“It’s okay Toge, Hop and I are just playing around!” Victor told the tiny, round electric type.

Togedemaru pouted a little, making an annoyed cry. The spikes on its back shot out as it did.

“Sorry Toge,” said Hop as he apologized to the little creature.

Togedemaru continued to pout as the boys crossed the street to the park.

The cool May evening had begun to settle into the park. The sky had begun to turn the color of a peach which made the park feel picturesque. Like they were walking through a century-old painting. Almost dreamlike.

An elderly couple sat on a bench feeding Rookidees with stale bread crumbs, two girls in high ponytails flowing behind them as they giggled about an unknown subject, there were few people enjoying the evening as it was.

The hedges were uniformly trimmed to perfection as they always were, that was one of the few unchanging things about Wyndon and those around them. Everyone around them seemed to be changing faster than thought possible. Which was freaky in and of itself, they weren’t those kids from the gym challenge now, they were all almost all grown up in their own right.

Bede and Marnie were still together of course. The darling teenage sweethearts of the Galar league, the fae prince, and the demon princess. They were media darlings in their own right, and the public sweetness of their relationship sure helped in that respect too. It was so saccharine that it was almost sickeningly sweet. The two were still successful gym leaders as well and incredibly popular with large fanbases. Something about their personalities made the public wild for them. Though they mostly tried to keep a low public profile and keep their relationship as private as possible from the public.

Leon still ran the battle tower of course, and his losses there were few and far between, to say the least. After all, he had been undefeated for nearly fifteen years. He had kept a low public profile after his defeat at the hands of Gloria, and continued to do so.

“Hey, Hop,” said Victor as the boys looked out over a stone bridge at the park.

“Hmm?” was Hop’s reply as he turned to look over at his childhood best friend.

“Um Hop, you don’t have to answer this question, besides it’s kinda stupid,” Victor gave a quick nervous laugh before he continued, “But if this is our last few months as student rangers then what do you plan to do after graduation?”.

It was a simple question itself that essentially asked _: “What do you want to do with your life?”_. Then why did it feel like so much more than that?

That’s when it hit Hop like a semi-truck, he was growing up. He finally knew what Leon meant the day of the fight, _“Enjoy being a kid while you still can, you’re only this young once in your life, once you grow up you can never be a kid again,”_. Those words echoed in his ears like he had shouted them into a canyon.

And what’s worse, Hop realized he hadn’t even listened to that part of Leon’s advice! Now he wished he had, now those six hundred and eight days of wishing he could grow up, Hop now wanted nothing more than to take every last one of those days back and enjoy them like they would never come back. Alas, such is the gift of hindsight.

“I-I don’t know,” Hop said with an anxious stutter, “I-I mean, hopefully, we’ll get stationed together so we can go on adventures together just like we’ve always talked about,”.

Hop turned his head and looked down upon he and Victor’s reflections in the water of the stream which ran through the park.

“The world is beautiful Hop, let’s enjoy it while we can,” said Victor as he peered into the water alongside his best friend.

“Let’s enjoy it while we can,” Hop repeated in his brain, “That sounds nice,”.

And for one singular moment, the world was _perfect_.

  
  
  
  



	8. Rookie Mission Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing to really say except this is a two parter, and although there is one implication of cutting be warned that there is that in this chapter. So if that triggers you please do not continue on with this chapter. Or skip to the end next chapter and continue on from there.
> 
> Original update March 16, 2029
> 
> Date updated: April 23, 2020. Tia does not break her leg from the fall, she just gets stuck.

The sun was only beginning to rise on the day of their rookie mission.

The dawn was a peachy glow across the entire city, the sky was filled with pastel oranges and light purples, it had been so beautiful that Victor had decided to snap a few pictures of it before getting ready.

Which he hadn’t been able to do due to the end of the year exams that were coming up in a little over a month, that they needed to start to study for, lest they wanted to fail out of ranger school.

Miss April like usual had risen bright and early like her students. Today Victor, Hop, and Tia stood in her office, all three about to head on their rookie mission.

But of course, before they went Miss April was going to give them a strict talking to before they left. Not that, that was a bad thing, but it did result in slight annoyance at being treated like ranger school first-years who didn’t know the ropes yet.

“You three are headed on your rookie mission today, if you three do exceptionally well you will be the first graduating class of the Galar ranger school. I expect you three to be on your best behavior, there is no room for bad behavior. You are representing the future of Galar’s safety and that is nothing to play with. I know Victor and Hop helped stop the darkest day, and for that I am grateful. But, even if you do not graduate at the end of his school year. I expect you three to be on your best behavior,” said Miss April with her hands behind her back, “If I hear of you three misbehaving in any way, there will be dire consequences, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes Miss April,” the three students said in one voice.

“Good. Now I have purchased you three train tickets, hurry on your way to Hammerlocke and meet up with Lalia and Ben. Then they will take you on your rookie mission. It’s an easy one and they’re the best of the best, especially Ben,” said Miss April.

“Ben was the one who saved Oblivia with his sister Summer right?” asked Tia.

“Yes, that Ben,” said Miss April.

The first bell that signaled them to get up rang, but they were already up, so it didn’t matter much to them.

“You are dismissed, take the train to Hammerlocke and get to the ranger station there. Further directions will be given to you once you arrive,” said Miss April with the flick of her hand.

The three teens filed out of the office and began to head off to Hammerlocke.  
  


* * *

It was ten o’clock in the morning when they arrived it Hammerlocke.

Two people stood in the waiting area. One was Lalia who hadn’t changed a bit since Hop’s last visit to the Hammerlocke ranger station.

The other was Ben. Who had grown into a young man of twenty-one since saving Oblivia with his sister Summer as eleven-year-olds.

Though Ben was a short and brawny man, who looked to be about Milo’s height. Even Lalia, though she was already as tall as it was.

“Hullo!” said Tia as she bounced in front of the two trainers, “Tatiana Humphries reporting for duty!”. She gave a quick salute like she was a soldier.

“Ah! Nice to meet you Tatiana!” said Ben as he stretched his hand for Tia to shake.

Tia shook it, “Only my mum and dad call me Tatiana everyone else calls me Tia, but if there’s another Tia then Tatiana will be fine,”.

“Oh Tia’s a nice name!” said Ben with a big grin.

A big stupid grin. He dropped her hand and went over to the two boys.

“You must be Hop!” said Ben as he looked at Victor, “And you must be Victor! Miss April has told me so much about you!”.

What the hell? How could he even mix them up? They didn’t even look a lick alike. Surely Miss April would have sent Ben a photograph of the kids he would be taking on their rookie mission? To make sure he would pick up the correct set of three teenagers from the station?

Ben produced a big shit-eating grin, clean, and smug.

Hop hated, that same smugness reminded him of Bede before Opal had reformed him. But even Bede was more honest about his smugness than it appeared Ben was.

Victor rolled his eyes, “Actually I’m Victor and he’s Hop,”.

That shit-eating grin fell, “Oh! Sorry! I do have a tendency to mix people up! Especially when I’ve never met them!”.

“It’s fine,” Victor said with slight annoyance in his voice.

“Really,” Hop added, not wanting to make a bad impression no matter how much of a smug bastard Ben turned out to be.

He knew what a bad impression could do to his rookie mission results. It could set him back a year for graduation or even worse. Arceus, he knew what bad impressions, especially bad first impressions could do to results.

“Do not fuck this up to you idiot,” the voice in Hop’s head told him.

“Now that introductions are out of the way, let’s go to the wild area and begin the rookie mission!” said Ben as he began to lead them out of the train station like a circus ringleader.

“How in the hell did he save a region with an attitude like that,” Victor whispered to Hop as they exited the train station.

“I think it was Summer who did most of the saving,” snickered Hop in a whisper tone.

The boys did quite held-in chuckles for a bit.

* * *

The stony wildness in the wild area that day was one of intense sun. A few zigzagoon races around in the tall grass, nothing out of the ordinary one bit,

A few Tranquill and Sigilyph flew around high up in the sky as always.

Ben and Lalia paused and turned around when they got to the center of the stony wilderness. Lalia held up her hand and the tree teens paused their walking.

“We are to patrol the stony wilderness for any signs of trouble, any Pokémon that needs help is to be helped, if more than one person is needed to help a Pokémon then grab one of us,” said Ben as he tossed each of them a walked talkie. “If you run into any poachers use one of the walkie talkies to phone one of us and try to hold them off with one of your Pokémon,”.

“One final thing. Do. Not. Wonder. Out. Of. This. Area” said Lalia sharply as she gripped one of her pokeballs, “You may use your Pokémon, and they will give you assistance,”.

Hop grabbed Dubwool’s ball and threw the ball, a large puff of wool appearing seconds later.

“Baah!” said Dubwool.

Two other flashes of light and Tia’s Galarian Rapidash appeared and so did Victor’s Lucario.

Lucario stretched out its limbs and gave a little jump.

“Neeehhh!” Rapidash said as Tia ran her fingers through its mane.

“Bit excited for today aren’t you Dash?” Tia cooed as her fingers left its multicolor mane.

Rapidash’s horn lit up, presumably to agree with its trainer.

Tia released a joyful giggle at that.

Dubwool walked over to Hop and Hop gently pet Dubwool.

“Hey, big guy. It’s the big day today, and guess what? You’re going on my rookie mission with me!” said Hop with a big smile on his face.

Dubwool baah’d happily at the news it received from Hop.

“You three are dismissed, be back here at one o’clock,” said Ben.

And so the three teens went off and began to patrol the stony wilderness.

The normal Pokémon that appeared during intense sun was there.

A Salandit, a Baltoy, a Golett, and a zigzagoon all playfully chasing a Maractus. Each producing sounds reminiscent of playful giggles and shrieks of laughter that human children produce.

Hop guessed they had been born in the early spring after all many wild area Pokémon gave birth during that time. With the exception of ice types which usually gave birth in the mid to late winter, sometimes even early winter.

Hop continued to walk with Dubwool by his side. admiring the beauty of this part of the wild area but as well keeping a vigilant eye out for any sort of trouble.

The sun continued to beat down on him as he went on with the walk. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.

Hop wiped his forehead quickly, flicking off the sweat beads into the air where they almost instantly evaporated.

“Hut, uh-huh,” Hop heard a whimper from the cave up ahead.

He had been walking for probably two hours at least and this was the first disturbance he had heard.

Hop rushed over the cave opening in the ground and quickly peered inside.

Down at the bottom of the cave laid Tia. It was clear that she had taken quite a tumble, she didn’t look hurt but that meant nothing currently until she was brought up to be examined. Her Rapidash was by her side unscathed.

There were tear streaks in her face.

“Tia, what happened?” Hop asked.

“A-a Rhydon charged me and I fell in while backing away! I took quite a tumble. I called Ben and Lalia on the walkie-talkie and they should be here soon. Ben and Lalia said I should find a way to get out if I can,” said Tia as she sat up with pained grunts.

“Don’t worry Tia, we’re gonna get you out of there!” Victor shouted down into the cave.

Hop nearly jumped out of his skin, despite being roommates Hop often forgot how scarily silent Victor could sometimes be. And it usually gave him quite a scare when Victor would give him an unpredicted reminder.

At that moment a few grains of sand blew past the two boys.

“We better be quick though, it looks like a sandstorm is beginning to blow in,” said Victor in a calm tone as he dug out a rope from his pocket and began to lower it in for Tia to grab.

“Least that’s not you,” the voice in Hop’s head said.

A giant gust of wind shoved the boys forward.

Hop screeched while he fell down into the cave, while Victor screamed.

For a few seconds, the world had turned black and all Hop could feel was the sting on his thighs of scars no one would see.

Hop flipped himself over and noticed the gash on his lower leg, a small stream of blood trickling out of it.

It stung too, stung badly.

“Gaah!” Hop moaned.

Hop looked up, and the sandstorm had blown in and the wind howled as Zacian and Zamazenta did.

That’s when a black dot appeared in Hop’s vision. It kept getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger until a deafening boom was heard.

Rapidash lit up its horn so they could see in the complete darkness.

Victor scrambled up off the floor, a few scratches littering his long limbs, and turned his head up to the now blocked entrance to the cave.

His hair had fallen out of the bun, and part of Hop thought that Victor looked beautiful by the light of Rapidash’s horn. Beautiful in a way Hop had never seen before. Another part of Hop wanted this beautiful boy to hold him or tell him everything was going to be okay.

“Get your head out of the gutter Hop! Now’s not the time to think about how attractive your childhood friend is or how you want him to hold you or how you want him to tell you everything will be okay,” said Hop as he silently scolded himself.

Victor shoved his arms upward in a vain attempt to move the boulder from its’ suck position, panting as he did so.

“Guys, we are. So. Totally. Fucked,” said Victor in a trembling voice.


	9. Rookie Mission Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to SnowytheSoft For Raihan’s last name of Laburn!
> 
> And sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I was working on it forever.
> 
> Originally published March 31, 2020
> 
> Date updated: April 23, 2020. All mentions of Tia’s broken leg are removed due to her not having broken it.

“What! That’s impossible!” said Hop as he limped over.

He only made it halfway before he toppled over in pain.

“You dumbass! It’s your fault for not getting the rope down sooner! If you had then maybe you three would be back to Ben and Lalia by now!” screamed the voice in Hop’s head.

“Stay there Hop. Let me get something to clean your wound and wrap it up,” said Victor as he dug through his pockets.

Hop felt his tongue lock up, it was as though the words had gone missing.

Hop looked at the blocked exit, perhaps if they had the right Pokémon they could move it. Dubwool and Zacian could work just fine. He knew Victor had Lucario, a Kommo-o, and Rillaboom were all Pokémon that could help.

“Oh erm- What Pokémon do you have with you Tia?” asked Hop as Victor continued to search for something to disinfect his wound and wrap it with.

“Same ones as always,” replied Tia, “Alcremie, Gengar, Ribombee, Rapidash, Togekiss, and Mawile. But now's not the time to play dex number lottery Hop!”.

“I know, but you’re gonna need to call Gengar or Mawile, or both out,” said Hop, “I have a plan,”.

“What’s your plan?” asked Tia as she tried to set herself up.

“We each send out Pokémon that can move the boulder,” said Hop, “Zacian or Dubwool will work for me. Victor, Lucario, Kommo-o, or Rillaboom will work for you. Though Kommo-o can fly right?”

“I still sometimes forget that you have a legendary Pokémon, Hop,” said Tia before Victor could speak.

“Yes it can fly, it could probably fit me and you up on it, though Tia would have to use her Togekiss,” said Victor as he pulled two folded socks from his pocket, “I’m going to tie these around your leg Hop, we’ll have to disinfect your wound when we get outta here,”.

Then Tia called out Gengar and Togekiss, each of them appearing with a flash as Victor tied up Hop’s gash.

“Haunts, go up to the boulder, we need to get it moved,” said Tia as she pulled herself up onto Togekiss, then she paused for a moment, “Wait a second, your Lucario knows rock smash doesn’t it Victor?”

That’s when it clicked in Hop’s head. If they moved the boulder out of the way then people or Pokémon could be hurt in the process. But if they were to rock smash it then the boulder would be broken into tiny pieces.

“Tia you’re a genius!” said Hop, “Heh, sorry for interrupting you, Tia,”.

“Yes it does Tia,” said Victor as he stood up from wrapping Hop’s wound.

“If Haunts and Lucario use rock smash then we can bust the boulder into small bits!” explained Tia as she settled herself on Togekiss.

“Well then, let’s get them ready!” said Tia as she put on her sandstorm goggles.

“Go! Kommo-o! I choose you!” said Victor as he threw Kommo-o’s ball and the large dragon Pokémon appeared as it let loose its signature cry.

Hop staggered up and limped onto the dragon as it sniffed a little.

“Get your goggles on and call Dubwool back in,” Victor told hop and mounted Kommo-o.

Hop quickly dug out his goggles and slapped them on as he called Dubwool back into its ball. 

Victor quickly got on his sandstorm goggles.

Kommo-o released its cry again.

“Use Rock Smash Lucario!” shouted Victor.

“Use Rock Smash Gengar!” said Tia a split second later.

The two Pokémon smashed the giant boulder into bits and pieces as the now pebbles rained down upon the three teens, Rapidash, Togekiss, and Kommo-o.

Soon the boulder was gone and the sandstorm above was barely visible, but still could get worse.

Victor and Tia thanked Rapidash, Gengar, and Lucario as they returned them to their balls.

“Ready Kommo-o? One, two, three, go!” said Victor as Kommo-o took off with Tia and her Togekiss not far behind.

The patches of grass grew smaller and smaller the higher they got.

“So we’re out of the sandstorm, what exactly do we do now?” asked Hop as he looked down at the world below.

“Well get you three back to Hammerlocke for one and tell Miss April what has occurred,” said A fourth voice.

The three of them jumped a little and turned to see Ben and Lalia on Lalia’s Unfezant.

“We are so totally fucked,” thought Hop.

* * *

By the time four o’clock rolled around Hop and Lalia were all patched up from their injuries.

The three student rangers sat in a white-walled room, which was which for some Arceus-forsaken reason was completely and utterly freezing. Hop sat on the examination table while Tia sat beside him, a solemn look on her face as she stared down at the floor.

Hop stared as the gauze tightly bound his left leg. The gash had been so bad that Hop needed stitches. However, Hop was in the clear to do the outdoor classes unless something came up otherwise.

Hop sighed as he sat on the examination table, there was absolutely no way they would pass their rookie mission now. No way in Hell.

“So what exactly do we do until we get picked up by Miss April?” asked Tia as she fiddled with one of her hair ribbons.

“I suppose we could just sit and talk,” said Victor who at this point sat in the chair opposite to the examination table Tia and Hop were on.

“Sorry for falling into that pit guys,” Tia said with a nervous laugh as she rubbed the back of her neck.

“It’s cool, you didn’t mean to after all,” said Hop as he looked down at his chipped fingernails.

“When do you think they’ll have our results for our rookie mission back?” asked Victor as he tapped his chin.

“When Miss April comes to pick us up,” replied Tia with a heavy sigh.

They heard footsteps race down the hall and the door swing wide open. In came Gloria dressed in her school uniform of a crisp white shirt and a knee-length black skirt.

“Are you guys okay?” asked Gloria as her head snapped between the three of them.

“Yeah Glo, it’s just a few scratches for me and Hop is all patched up,” said Victor.

“Thank Arceus!” said Gloria as she slapped her hand on her chest with a sigh of relief, “I’ll snap whoever’s neck it was that decided it was a good idea to send you three to the wild area of all places on your rookie mission!”, Gloria breathed in, “I know that sounds really fucking mean to say, but you’re student rangers, and this is a rookie mission. And under their watch he,” Gloria pointed to Hop, “got busted up, and you,” she pointed to Victor, “You, Arceus I’m glad you three are okay,”.

Gloria’s finger fell, turned her eyes downward, and gave a weak smile, “I really am glad you three are as good as you are,”.

“Glo, are mum and mama okay? Are they coming?” Victor asked his sister, “I mean if you came surely they must have,”.

Gloria nodded, “Yeah, mama’s gonna come after she’s done with her shift, mum is on her way right now, and I came immediately from school,”.

“And Lee?” Hop asked in a small voice as he stared at Gloria.

“Yes, from what I know, at least I hope,” said Gloria then she snapped her fingers, “Though if you have your phones then maybe you three could check to see if you have any messages,”.

And with that Hop pulled out his Rotom Phone, the scene was set alight.

“You have 10+ new messages from Lee” read the notification, he could see the beginning of the most recent one, “Hopscotch I’m coming to Hammerlocke…..,”.

Hop clicked on the notifications. They started off tame enough, then he saw the exact number Leon had sent him……….fifteen. Hop scrolled up to the top and started reading.

  
  


1:00 pm.

Lee: “Hey, Hop. I know you’re still out on your rookie mission but I just wanted to know if you’re still coming over for dinner on Friday, Raihan, and I have some big news we want to tell you,”.

1:01 pm

Lee: “Hop? What’s happening? My secretary just got a call from the Rangers’ School,”.

Lee: “Hop, I swear to Arceus if you screwed around or got expelled I will not be happy,”.

1:10 pm

Lee: “They just told me what happened. I’m gonna kill whoever’s idea this was. Sending you three out to the Wild Area on your rookie mission!”.

Lee: “Gloria texted me and said she’s gonna head to the ranger station in Hammerlocke to give them a piece of her mind,”.

Lee: “I told her to just make sure you and the others are okay,”.

2:00 pm

Lee: “I have just been informed Victor, Tia, and you are being moved to the hospital in Hammerlocke. Whoever’s the idea this was is really in for it now,”.

2:02 pm

Lee: “Hop, Miss April just called me. She said that she’s on her way to Hammerlocke,”.

  
  


2:03 pm

Lee: “I’ll probably meet her there when I arrive in Hammerlocke,”.

Lee: “Hop, I get off work soon,”.

2:05 pm

Lee: “I’ll be there soon, don’t worry,”.

Lee: “I’m coming,”.

Lee: “Don’t worry,”.

Lee: “I love you, Hop,”.

Lee: “Hopscotch I’m coming to Hammerlocke, Raihan will be there before me. He said he’d arrive around four, I’ll be there around five,”. 

Hop took a sharp breath and started to type a response to his brother. 

Hop: “Hey, Lee. Sorry for the late reply, I’m fine. My leg got a bit gashed but it’s gonna heal up just fine. We’re all fine, and Lee thanks for the offer but maybe this weekend for the celebration or something we can go out idk. But yeah I’m fine, I’m thinking that maybe Vic and I will head over to the Lafayette-Tyler’s for dinner tonight and then head back to Wyndon because we missed our three o’clock train. But I wanted to text you back to let you know that everything is under control,”.

Almost immediately after that three dots appeared and Hop began to wait with bated breath.

Lee: “Thank Arceus you’re alright! I was unbelievably worried for about three hours! I thought something much worse happened! I’ll be there as soon as possible!”

Hop: “Kay, see you then Lee,”.

Then came a few knocks on the door frame, probably Raihan, Muriel, or Andréa, or a mix of the three.

Hop looked up and sure enough, there stood Raihan with his waist-length dreads in a ponytail which was slung over his shoulder and a weak yet charming smile on his face.

“Hey, Raihan!” said Hop, his voice going up a few pitches.

“Hey! You four alright?” Raihan asked quickly as soon as Hop finished speaking, placing one of his hands on his hip.

“Yeah!” said Tia.

“Yes,” chirped Gloria as she flipped her hair like in the movies.

“Yeah,” Victor and Hop said together in one singular voice.

The two boys threw an awkward look at each other and burst out into slightly embarrassed laughter while everyone around them wore slightly embarrassed yet happy smiles on their faces.

After the laughter subsided Raihan asked, “May I speak with you Hop out in the hall for a quick moment?”.

Hop nodded quickly and followed his older brother’s extremely lanky boyfriend out into the tile-floored hall where the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the entire level of the hospital floor due to how empty and how the sound had the ability to echo in there.

They stopped when they got to a place with a couch where families and friends of patients could wait to see them. It was a warm little nook that stood in sharp contrast to the coldness of the rest of the hospital.

Raihan motioned for Hop to sit down. So Hop did as Raihan had motioned him to do, the couch was much softer than Hop would have thought a couch in a hospital would be still not incredibly soft but it was soft enough.

“There’s something I want to ask you,” said Raihan before he quickly gulped heavily, “It’s very important,”.

Hop froze up for a few moments before the words found their way out of his mouth, “Sure, what is it?”.

There was what felt like an eternity of unbearable silence when in actuality it was probably more like a few minutes. Before finally, Raihan broke the silence,

“Hop, you know I love Leon quite a lot, and since you’re his brother,” Raihan paused and gulped again, “I was wondering if it would be okay with you if I took Leon’s hand in marriage. I want to ask you because you know-,”.

“I’m his little brother,” Hop finished Raihan’s sentence.

Raihan just nodded silently, now it was clear he was awaiting Hop’s response to his question.

Raihan wanted to marry Leon, he’d known Leon since they were ten. That had been nearly sixteen years ago they had met. They had known each other longer than Hop had been on this earth.

Hop should have known them waiting to marry would be coming. He saw how happy Raihan made Leon, how they smiled when they were around each other, how they looked at each other. They were perfect and wholly in love with each other and there was no denying it a single solitary bit.

Hop should have been fully supportive, but something gnawed away at Hop. What if Leon didn’t have time for Hop anymore if he got married? What if Raihan and Leon’s marriage fell apart? What if, what if, what if, what if. It was a constant stream in Hop’s head.

“Do what is right,” a voice in Hop’s head said, it sounded like his mum or Melony.

That’s when Hop sucked a deep breath into his lungs and released it, his shoulders going slightly forward as the breath exited his body, “Yes, you have my full blessing and support,”.

The voice he said it in was far calmer than Hop was willing to admit he was feeling inside. Inside the shock, the announcement of marriage was still settling down in his brain. It would likely take days to settle down completely, things like this always did.

Hop saw Raihan’s eyes light up with joy, the same way Tia’s did whenever her family would call her on the phone.

“Oh, Arceus I’m so happy I could just cry!” Raihan said as he swiftly pulled Hop into a hug which made a chill of surprise go through Hop’s body.

“Well you make him happy,” said Hop in a slightly muffled voice.

Raihan released Hop from the hug which caused Hop to swing back a little from the force of being released. It took Hop a second to regain his balance after being released.

“Was this what you and Lee wanted to talk to me about on Friday?” asked Hop as he rubbed over his bandage a bit.

Raihan nodded, “Yeah, I’m going to tell my parents and siblings tonight, they’ve known about my sexuality and me dating Leon for a long time. My mum basically already treats him and loves him like a son,”.

Hop nodded, of course, Antoinette Laburn was already known to be a gracious and courteous woman whether it be in politics, the public, or in her family.

Then an ugly thought slithered into his head, “Lee’s gonna have to tell mum and our grandparents. What an explosion that will be,”. 

Of course, Hop didn’t say that out loud, that would have dampened Raihan’s excitement at marrying the love of his life. Besides telling their family was Leon’s job, not Hop’s. Leon was the adult in this situation, Hop was only fifteen.

Whatever, the world would not come down on Hop’s watch. Especially Leon’s happiness. Raihan was about to become his family in the eyes of the law. That meant a big public affair. 

Hop could already imagine the headline. “EX-CHAMPION OF GALAR MARRIES LONG TIME RIVAL!”.

“Big wedding or a small wedding?” Hop asked in a hushed tone, as he tried to get his mind off of the media circus that would occur undoubtedly.

“Elopement. Just Leon and I, you, my family, and an officiator,” Raihan replied in an equally hushed tone at his soon-to-be husband’s younger brother.

“Elopement,” the word bounced around like a ball in Hop’s head. Elopement had been the one thing Leon promised their mother and grandparents he would never do when he got married. But perhaps elopement was for the best, especially considering the circumstances with their family, and the predicament Hop was in with them ever since their fight.

Arceus, this day, this day was an unholy mixed of disaster and effulgent joy. Fate certainly had a funny sense of humor sometimes didn’t it? The way it would throw ten thousand things at someone at once and expect them to not slip and whack their head from the shock.

“Hop,” A voice from behind them said, the tone of it filled with an anxious air.

“Mr. Eudios, Mr. Laburn,” a second voice said, regal and proper.

Hop turned to see Leon in his battle tower uniform looking upon his boyfriend and brother, undoubtedly overhearing somewhat of their conversation no doubt. Miss April standing by his side, arms laced behind her back, and her face lacking its usual warm expression.

“Raihan and I were just talking Lee-,” Hop began before Leon interrupted him as he sat down beside his brother.

“Good Arceus Hop! Just what were you three thinking-” Leon then paused and laughed, “Oh who am I kidding Hop? I’m so proud of you!”.

Leon wrapped Hop in a bone-crushing hug in a millisecond. The shock alone made another chill go through Hop’s entire body. What exactly in the hell was going on?

“Miss April!” Hop wheezed, “What in Arceus’ name is going on?”.

Miss April perked a small smile on her face, joyful lines from smiles passed appeared as well, and in a calm voice, she said, “Why Mr. Eudios, you passed your rookie mission. You are going to become a Pokémon Ranger. Congratulations, the graduation ceremony will be held on July the twenty-second, Ms. Humphries and Mr. Layfette-Tyler will receive the news shortly,”.

Hop felt the hair on his arms and legs stick up, he……...passed? But, how? He had gotten stuck in a cave with Tia and Victor! Not to mention they-.

“I’m sure you’re curious as to why you passed as it must seem awfully puzzling,” Miss April paused for a fleeting moment, “Without Tia and yours’ quick thinking you three would have been stuck for much longer, without Victor’s quick attack when addressing the wounds they might have become infected, and finally without the teamwork you three displayed you three would have never done any of that,”.

“What I mean is. You displayed all the qualities of a perfect Pokémon Ranger, you three passed with flying colors,” the smile on Miss April’s face grew wide and her eyes shone the like sun.

Leon once again tightened the hug around his younger brother, “I’m so proud of you Hopscotch! So unbelievably proud!”, he slapped his younger brothers’ back as Hop could see a smile form.

Hop felt like he was flying, a state of being in the heavens, so this is what pride in yourself felt like. He could feel his heart swell up to bursting capacity in his chest. He was unstoppable, he had passed! He was going to become a ranger officially! His die cast, his heart a raging storm of joy, his path in life finally found after fifteen long years!

Leon released Hop from the hug and Hop could see tears well up in Leon’s golden eyes. The light caught an unfallen tear and gave it a small shine.

“This calls for celebration, Hop! Such a momentous occasion should not be overlooked in the slightest!” Leon paused for a moment then continued, “We need to start planning your graduation party, and getting everything ready! We need to celebrate! So Hop what do you say? I’ll take you out and we’ll celebrate this together, however you like to too!”.

Hop opened his mouth but no words came out, a quiet shock held them captive in Hop’s throat, “Yes, I would love that Lee, and perhaps we go out to dinner and a movie? That sounds like celebration enough to me, and we should do it over a weekend when you’re free,” were the words that escaped.

Leon smiled even bigger, “Sounds good to me,”.

“I love you Hop, and I’m proud of you, I can never say that enough,” Leon’s voice dropped to a tiny whisper, “Please never forget just how much I love you and how proud I am of you,”.

“I promise I won’t,” Hop whispered back to his elder brother.

Hop couldn’t promise that truly, he knew he couldn’t but he didn’t want to bring down the mood. No, this moment was to be happy and it was. It was happy, it was perfect and amazing. The way Hop promised so quietly knew it made the whole thing seem absolutely desperate, the promise a desperate one.

Alea iacta est. The die is cast.

**END OF PART 1**   
  



	10. Interlude I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I came up with the Last name for Ben and Summer. It comes from Morpheus Greek god of sleep.  
> Thanks to SnowytheSoft For letting me use the last name Laburn for Raihan and his family!
> 
> Next chapter starts part 2.

Antoinette Laburn stood in front of the massive picture window in her office. She stared out onto the city below, the maroon velvet curtains pulled back by the thick gold-colored rope.

Antoinette often likened the city of Hammerlocke at night to a painting made centuries ago. The outlines of houses, businesses, the stadium and power plant, the wall that lined the city (originally constructed to keep out invaders), and even some of the wild area that faded into the unending darkness of the night.

Antoinette sighed and downed more of her tonic, another late night of being governor of the Hammerlocke district of Galar. Not that she disliked her job or that she was disliked as a leader, no, people adored her and she truly loved her job. But sometimes, people could get her down to her very last nerve. Usually, that person being an unruly councilman or one of her children, but today it was someone entirely different.

There came a knock at the heavy oak doors that separated her office from the hallway. Of course, _they_ would show up _late_ , given their actions today it would be considered _no surprise at all_. Antoinette knew she would have to have a little chat with them when she found out the news of what happened during three very certain teenagers’ rookie mission.

“Come in,” she said, her face still looking out at the city beyond, the beautiful darkness encasing it all.

The door opened with a light creak, and Antoinette slowly turned around to greet her guests. She put her slender glass of tonic down on her desk. She moved very calmly as she always did no matter what the occasion.

“Ah, Ms. Addison, Mr. Morpheus, Ms. Lafayette-Tyler, Mr. Eudios, Raihan, and Ms. April,” Antoinette began as she sat down in her leather office chair, “Welcome, have a seat,” she tried to sound calmer than she really was inside.

Silence filled the room for a few moments after her guests sat down, only being broken by the methodical ticking of the ancient yet determined grandfather clock that was near the entrance of her office. They all knew what they were here for and none of them were too pleased about it. Especially Miss April, Gloria, and Leon.

“I suppose you already know why all of you were called to this meeting,” Antoinette said as she grabbed a slim file from her mirror-polished desk in front of her and opened it to the report she had received that afternoon.

“Because Ben and Lalia didn’t watch Hop, Tia, and Victor close enough when they were out on their rookie mission,” Gloria said quickly, the poor girl looked dreadfully tired from all the worry of the past few hours, it reminded her of Leon when he first started doing his champion duties, overstressed and no time to be a kid.

“Partly Ms. Lafayette-Tyler, partly,” Antoinette drew in a small breath before she continued, “I have brought all of you here tonight to discuss something important,” she began to get up and walk steadily to where her guests were seated, “Today, one teenager was injured on their rookie mission. The three teens then got trapped in a cave. I have been informed under normal circumstances they would have been under much more keen watch,”.

“But Lalia and I were flying up above watching th-” Ben began before Antoinette cut in, clearly he had never learned the big rule. Never tell Antoinette a “but” followed by a sorry excuse.

“Yes I understand Mr. Morpheus, you and Ms. Addison are widely considered experts in your respective regions, but still, the wild area for their rookie mission-,” Antoinette paused for a moment, “Was a poor choice, to put it bluntly. The place is fraught with danger if you’re not careful, and how do you think the public would react if a student ranger was injured during a rookie mission?”.

The room was filled with an agonizing silence after that. Everyone knew what Antoinette meant by that, even Ben and Lalia who had only known her for mere minutes at that time, and no one wanted to answer her question. The silence was only cut by the tick of the grandfather clock which always kept a steady pace no matter what.

Finally, Gloria spoke up, “It would be like what happened after the darkest day, I remember people were, understandably, more than a little upset about the recklessness the former chairman had in dealing with the energy crisis. People were scared and they had the right to be after the darkest day, which nearly destroyed the whole region, if not, nearly the whole world,” her voice was flat and nearly emotionless, like an automaton.

“Yes, Ms. Lafayette-Tyler, To a much lesser degree of course but still enough of a disturbance the rangers here in Galar would face some trouble from citizens,” said Antoinette, as she added on to what Gloria had said.

The tone in the room was solemn. It was as though someone had just died, even though it was just a mishap, and nothing Antoinette hadn’t handled yet in her time as governor. But as it was three of the six guests’ first time in her office for something other than a report, it was certainly very different for them.

“And this is a prime example of why things like this need to not be taken lightly in the slightest,” Miss April said as she gave an exhausted glance up at the taller woman.

“Correct Ms. April,” said Antoinette as she downed a bit more of her tonic before she returned it to her desk, “I suppose I don’t need to lecture any further?”. There was a slight hope in her voice as she said this, but was nearly undetectable under her calmness.

“We understand Governor Laburn, wholeheartedly, ma’am,” said Lalia from her seat as she lightly shifted in it.

Antoinette perked a small smile, “Very good,”, she paused slightly before once again continuing, “You are all dismissed,”, She flicked her wrist to signal her guests to leave her office.

* * *

It was nearly midnight by the time Leon and Raihan reached Wyndon. The air was cool and all was silent. A rare night for the city indeed, or at least since Leon had begun to live there.

Currently, Leon stood out on the balcony of his apartment while his fiancé slept inside. Fiancé, why was that word so hard to _say_ , let alone _think_? He’d had a fiancée once before, and according to the media they had been a match made in Heaven. Then their engagement ended during Christmas time when Hop was ten, Leon had been _heartbroken_ , not that he could show it.

“Dad left the world thinking I was going to get married,” was the thought that crawled into the forefront of the ex-champion’s mind, “He left the world thinking and believing I was going to get _married_ , then I didn’t,”.

Leon felt a lump form in his throat at that thought. His own father had died nearly six years ago and was currently buried in the Wedgehurst cemetery. 

Six years later, and hopefully, the wedding would this time go through. Hopefully, he and Raihan would be joined in wedded bliss. But there was still one little kink in that problem, he had yet to tell his mum and grandparents of the engagement let alone the wedding.

They had been asking him when he was going to get a girlfriend or a wife even more than usual as of late. Leon knew they meant well but it still didn’t make him any less uncomfortable when it was brought up.

They were coming up to Wyndon for a visit around the time of Hop’s graduation. So maybe then the time would be right to tell them, then it would be done and over with, and then he could marry Raihan.

“Champ?” came an exhausted whisper from the doorway.

Leon turned, and there stood Raihan one skinny hand rubbing one of his blue eyes. Clearly exhausted and just having risen up from the bed they shared whenever he stayed over.

“Oh, hey Rai,” Leon then paused, “I was just getting some fresh air before bed,”. Leon looked at his fiancé with a tired grin, his golden eyes settling upon the tall man, “And thinking about some things too,” which came after a short pause.

“Would you like to tell me?” Raihan said from the doorway as he leaned on it.

Leon pondered for a moment and then nodded as he followed Raihan inside as he shut the screen door behind them.

Once they were in the safe walls of the bedroom they shared tonight, that was when Leon finally felt safe for his walls to come down, in front of the person he loved most in the world.

“I need to tell my mum and grandparents,” said Leon almost immediately as the door closed behind them, “I just want it to be over with,”.

Raihan nodded as he sat down on the bed, the covers all shoved into a pile at the bottom, “It makes you feel like a teenager again, doesn’t it? When you were still living in Postwick?”.

Leon nodded.

In towns like Postwick everyone had clear cut ideas about how things were supposed to be, or at least what supposed to be was supposed to mean to them.

It had felt suffocating to Leon, being around everyone who was telling him through words and actions who he was supposed to be, how he was supposed to be, what he was supposed to be.

Raihan stood and took his Fiancé’s hands in his, “You tell them whenever you’re _ready_ ,” said Raihan in a soft tone and then planted a kiss on Leon’s cheek.

“I don’t want to hide us away anymore,” said Leon. “I’m going to tell them when they come in July, I know how it will go, but when they know then we’ll be able to get married,” he clenched Raihan’s hands tighter.

“Leon, are you sure you're ready?” asked Raihan, as he looked upon his soon-to-be husband.

“Yes,” said Leon as he planted a kiss on Raihan’s cheek and released his hands from Raihan’s.

“I’ve also been thinking of my dad a lot lately,” Leon paused, “You remember when I was going to get married the first time?”.

Raihan nodded as the two laid back down on the bed, the pristine sheets wrinkling slightly as they did. 

“Yeah,” said Raihan quietly as he quickly ran his fingers through Leon’s hair.

“He left the world thinking I was going to get married, then I didn’t,” Leon paused again, “She and I were fighting a lot before my dad passed in December, then I just couldn’t deal with both our fighting and my dad’s passing, so I just broke it off,” Leon looked out the window, not wanting to meet Raihan’s gaze.

“Is your family pestering you about marriage and kids again?” asked Raihan as he propped his head upon his arm as Leon turned to face him.

Leon sighed, “Yes, and more than usual too. Mum wants grandchildren and she wants me to settle down soon so she can have some to coo over,”.

“If she knew about us then I’d tell you to tell her we’re going to have kids when we’re ready,” said Raihan as he brushed some hair out of Leon’s face.

Leon chuckled silently, “I love you Raihan,”.

“I love you too Leon,” said Raihan.

* * *

At the same time across the city, Tia was in her dorm room holed up under the covers watching videos on her phone. She’d been watching hair tutorials and lookbooks of braids, corn crows, and dreads for how she wanted her hair styled for graduation. But as with many people a hop, skip, and a jump later she had landed on a video of a Skitty playing with a Rockruff with no idea she had gotten there.

Tia giggled silently as the Skitty and Rockruff each tugged on either side of the chew toy. Both of the Pokémon happily wagging their tails.

It was a welcome distraction from the events of the day, to be watching two innocent Pokémon have fun. It almost made her wish Haunts was a cute little Gastly again. _Almost_.

The video ended and Tia sighed as she kicked off the covers. The bed next to hers was empty as her former roommate had dropped out so now Tia had the room all to herself.

Tia’s half of the bedroom was decorated in a typical artsy fashion. Paintbrushes on the vanity, her sketchbook on the bedside table along with the latest novel she was reading, and a paint palette on top of the sketchbook.

Tia stood up as she went over to the vanity, moonlight filtered onto the vanity from the window. Tia quickly flicked on the little Butterfree string lights as she sat down on the stool. The vanity had chipped white paint, on it, and pictures which were held in place by the little space between the mirror and wood. The pictures were of many things, a baby Tia in a frilled blue dress holding a comically large lollipop, a five-year-old Tia with her mum as both smiled warmly at the camera during the formers’ first day of school, a six-year-old Tia hugging Haunts (still a Gastly back then) with a bright smile on both of their faces, a ten-year-old Tia with her friends at the lake, a thirteen-year-old Tia in her gym challenge uniform posing with her team in front of Wyndon Stadium, Tia with her girlfriend Jaya. Some didn’t even have Tia in them like the one of Jaya in Lumiose City, mum and dad on their twentieth anniversary holiday, and her older brothers in sleek suits and professional poses.

Her hair was tucked safely under her bonnet as she began to apply some lip balm to her lips. She couldn’t sleep, so might as well do something until she was ready to pass out. So she sat at the vanity and continued to apply the lip balm.

Tia placed the cap in the tube and set it down on the old vanity. It was from her old bedroom back home, but she had decided to take it with her at the start of her second year at ranger school.

She stared at herself in the vanity for a moment. Her obsidian eyes caught a bit of the light from the string lights, and her dark brown skin shined in the light. It wasn’t hard to see why so many people called her pretty or beautiful on a daily basis, it’s because she was pretty and beautiful.

Tia smiled back at her reflection in the mirror before she shut off the Butterfree string lights.

Tia walked over to the window and started to stare outside at the city at night, to her it felt like staring out a high definition picture taken on an expensive camera. 

“Jay would love this,” she whispered as she stared out into the night.

Jaya was back in Kalos at boarding school in Lumiose City. Just a channel away from Galar but it felt like she was a world away from her.

Tia shut her eyes for a moment. Jaya materialized in her imagination in all her beauty. Her long wavy dark brown hair which curled at the end, her brown skin, her beautiful big brown eyes the color of fresh chestnuts, her short, wiry frame of lean muscle, and her warm and kind smile.

Tia opened her eyes again, Jaya would hopefully be out of school by the time Tia graduated from ranger school.

Tia was excited to see her girlfriend again, hug her again, go out on dates that weren’t FaceTiming while they were doing homework, or FaceTiming while watching a movie together.

Mum and dad were coming to her graduation, so were her brothers and grandparents. If Jaya was out of school when Tia graduated then she could introduce Jaya to her grandparents.

Tia’s family didn’t care that she was bisexual (they were fully supportive of her in fact), all they cared about was that the person she was with loved her and treated her well. So, in other words, she couldn’t wait to introduce Jaya to her family.

Tia continued to stare out the window like she would one of her books, with great interest. Though many would find watching Wyndon at night quite boring, Tia found it fascinating for some peculiar reason. It was almost like watching a movie in her eyes, ten thousand secrets, ten thousand lives, ten thousand stories, and ten thousand worlds that she would never know about and would never know her. It made her realize just how big the world really was, how wild the world really was in all actuality.

Tia released a soft yawn and headed back towards her bed and climbed into it, pulling the hot pink covered up her chin.

Tia stared up at the ceiling as she pondered what was to come. Once long ago she had longed for normalcy and had felt content in her normal life. Now normal was something different for her and in a few months her definition of normal would change yet again.

Now that she was going to become a ranger she would have to find her new normal. Another normal that would be normal in her life until it once again came time for another new normal.

And with that, Tia fell asleep.

  
  
  
  
  



	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing to say about this chapter.

> _“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go,” - T.S. Eliot_

**PART II: memores acti prudentes futuri**

Victor felt the warm breeze of early June on his face as he entered the school’s courtyard that afternoon. The grounds were mostly empty as many students still hadn’t been freed of their classes for the day and the ones that were, were mostly studying away for end of the year exams.

But of the few students that were in the courtyard, one of them was Tia.

She stood in front of a picnic table and it appeared she had something large spread out on it in front of her, her lip bit in deep thought.

As Victor drew closer to the girl he had known since nursery school he noticed she had her book bag opened right next to her, which is probably where whatever she had, had been for the duration of the school day.

“Hey, Tia!” Victor called as he began to race towards the picnic table at which the girl stood.

Tia’s head shot up from where she was looking, “Hey, Vic,” was her response as the boy drew closer, a tightly coiled curl tickling the side of her cheek.

Victor stopped as he got to wear Tia stood and she tilted her head upward to look at him, the taller boy tilted his head to look at her.

“Out of classes early I see,” said Tia as she glanced at what was on the picnic table.

“Yeah,” Victor paused for a moment, “What’s all this?”.

Tia stood up a little straighter, “After the whole incident on our rookie mission I decided to look into what Ben and Summer did in Oblivia all those years ago,”.

Tia pointed to a picture of Ben and who Victor assumed to be Summer near the top of the layout, “Apparently they fought a group known as the Pokémon Pinchers, who though had been in the region for at least a decade prior but had only recently begun to act as a group,”.

Tia’s finger then traveled down to a photo of men and women clad in green and black outfits with sturdy boots, next to the photo was written some text in Tia’s handwriting, which was light and dainty.

“Poachers,” said Victor as he peered down at Tia’s creation, “One of the teachers mentioned them last year,”.

Tia nodded, her finger once again slid down the page, “They were led by three admins by the name of Blue Eyes, Red Eyes, and Purple Eyes. The Admins were employed by a group entitled the Societa headed by a man named Edward or Ed “The Thinker” as he was sometimes called,”.

“So what happened to them?” asked Victor, “Did they go to prison?”.

Tia removed her finger from the paper and looked up at Victor, “It’s unknown, the last reports of them state that Edward was never seen again after Mewtwo fell out of his control. Arceus took Purple Eyes to somewhere far away to hand him his final judgment. As for the rest, it’s known the ones still alive are living out a prison sentence, one of them, Blue Eyes, is due to be released early from the Interpol prison in Sinnoh on a count of her good behavior,”. Tia paused, “They were all given a sentence of twenty years in prison which makes the ex-chairman’s sentence of a year and a half seem rather measly in comparison,”.

Victor nodded, the ex-chairman had recently been released from prison and had since been living out his days in self-imposed exile in an unknown location in the Galar region. It was assumed it was a place that only his children and Oleana knew about so as to keep the former chairman safe.

The spring breeze rustled the tree leaves in that moment of silence that the two teens shared, the blue sky nearly cloudless, one could dare call this day perfect and no one would have an opposition to it.

“But they haven’t been active in nearly a decade,” said Victor, “What spurred this sort of research?”.

Tia tapped her chin, “Think of it this way, evil teams are rarely ever completely stamped out, there are still factions of them around the world no matter how small or hidden. Rainbow Rocket was formed due to the demented genius of a Giovanni from a universe where he was never defeated by Red. And we don’t know when or if another thing like Rainbow Rocket will happen again, it could be tomorrow or ten years from tomorrow. Or if they do strike again, can they be defeated again,”.

“You do make a good point,” Victor told Tia as the breeze rustled his hair.

“Thanks,” said Tia as she folded up the chart and placed it back in her bag.

With a zip, Tia’s bag was closed and slung over her shoulder.

“Where are you going?” Victor asked as Tia made her way into the stone pathway of the school gardens.

Tia turned her head to face Victor, “Going to go pick up my girlfriend from Wyndon station. You remember Jay right?”.

Oh yeah, that’s right, Victor hadn’t forgotten about Jaya in the least. The short youngest daughter of the ex-chairman who since her parents’ divorce when she was seven had spent most of her time in Kalos at boarding school with one of the only exceptions being her gym challenge which she undertook at the same time Gloria and the others did.

Victor nodded, “Oh yes! It’ll be nice to see her again!”.

Tia nodded, “She’s been away in Kalos for school but she’s back for the summer,”. Tia paused, “You can come with me if you like,”.

Well, it would be something until Hop got out of class that’s for sure and he could get to meet someone new.

“Sure,” said Victor quickly as he followed the short girl out of the school courtyard and into the school so they could change out of their uniforms.

* * *

Victor waited for Tia outside of her dorm room as she got ready, he himself had already switched out of his uniform into his casual clothes for the rest of the day.

“ _Mr. Lafayette-Tyler_?” came a voice.

Victor looked, there stood Miss April in front of him, a calm expression upon her face. Her hands were laced behind her back and the streak of grey and white in her vibrant red hair was beginning to spread to other places on her head (Victor assumed the students had helped with the graying of Miss April’s hair).

“Oh, Hullo Ms. April!” said Victor as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck, fearful of the impending scolding from the headmistress.

“You and Ms. Humphries aren’t about to head out on a date are you two?” asked Miss April as she placed her hands on her hips, “If you two are I’m sorry to intrude,”.

“What? No! I have a girlfriend!” was Tia’s muffled reply from behind her door

A split second later the door was swung open and Tia appeared in her casual clothes. Which consisted of a pastel pink t-shirt, denim overall shorts trimmed with lace, and pastel pink sneakers.

“We’re going to pick her girlfriend Jaya up from the station,” Victor explained to the headmistress, “I agreed to go with Tia,”.

“Ah,” said Miss April, “Before you two go off to pick up Ms. Humphries girlfriend I would like to have a chat with both of you,”.

A knot of dread filled Victor’s stomach and his tongue felt completely sour. What now?

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing more than a mere status update of where you will be going after the completion of this school year,”.

Tia and Victor both nodded at their superior, which gave her the single to begin to relay her news to the two students.

“You two are going to be Rangers with no particular station as of the time being. Due to recent disturbances on the Isle Of Armor that is where you two and Mr. Eudios will be headed off to,” explained Miss April, “If my calculations are correct then that is where you three will stay until things have calmed down or more experienced rangers are needed,”.

“What sort of disturbances ma’am?” Victor asked the headmistress without even thinking.

There was a slight pause in the conversation between the two teenagers and their teacher, a clue Victor had asked a question that may have stepped over a boundary or two.

“It’s unknown as of yet, but until we have figured out the source of the threat you three will need to be careful,” said Miss April with a sigh, “Top Ranger Summer might be joining you three, but that’s only if the threat grows in the near future,”.

“We understand Ms. April,” said Tia as she adjusted her purse, “Thanks for telling us,”.

Miss April nodded at the two students, “You three will be headed off on the first of August to your assignment. Unlike the main ranger regions, you three will not have access to a styler but I assume your Pokémon will be of great help to you three nonetheless,”.

Miss April smiled at the two teenage students with a warm smile producing wrinkles on her face, “You three will do great things I just know it,”.

“Thanks, Miss,” Victor and Tia said together in one voice.

Tia’s phone began to buzz in the pocket of her shorts and Victor noticed Miss April smile a bright and shiny smile.

Tia read her phone and looked over at her teacher, her eyes as wide as saucers, “How long did you know about this?”. Her voice was filled with excitement.

Tia raced down the corridor and the headmistress and the tall boy ran after her.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	12. Hiatus? Possible End of the story

Hey everyone, look I know I haven’t updated this in a long time, but if I’m going to be honest. I just don’t feel passionate about this fic anymore and I haven’t for as long as chapter seven.

And honestly comparing this to my work now, especially with the later chapters of Galar Squad. This just feels so lifeless, dull, and uninspired, and going back and looking at how I treated a bunch of characters, I feel like I treated many of the canon characters unfairly and misrepresented several of my OCs in this work.

adding on to that point, many of my OCs in this fic have gone through so much transformation and development in these past few months that the versions of them in this story, again, feel flat and boring.

Not to mention my creativity for this fic has dried up entirely. I don’t want to put this fic on hiatus, but it’s the best decision for me at the moment and the story. I know many of you love this story and that’s why it hurts so much to put this on hiatus, this was my first major fanfiction in years to gain any sort of traction, and seeing all your comments and kudos really just warmed my heart.  
  


If any of you are worried about my OCs, don’t worry, you’ll see more of them soon in my Ultra Sword and Shield series (of which I’m working on one-shots for most of them).

again. Thank you for all the support you’ve given me and this fic, I hope to one day come back to it and see you all again!

until we meet again, Oleander


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